The fate of a REAL ID fix in New Mexico is now in the hands of Senate Democrats.
A key Senate committee is scheduled Tuesday to hear proposals that would bring New Mexico into compliance with tougher identification requirements under the federal REAL ID Act.
But how Senate Democrats respond to the proposals will determine if they face a backlash if the driver's license problem isn't fixed.
A GOP plan would grant state driving privilege cards for immigrants — even those suspected of living in the country illegally. A Democrat version would create a "two tier" system.
The REAL ID Act requires proof of legal U.S. residency for those who want to use state identification to access certain areas of federal facilities. New Mexico has no such requirement and allows immigrants to get state driver's licenses regardless of legal status.
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