September 11 and the Virginia DMV

Robert Siegel reports on the Department of Motor Vehicles in the Commonwealth of Virginia, where a liberal policy for obtaining a driver's license or state identification card has led to years of fraud and corruption. It took the events of Sept. 11 to finally put an end to the policy, when the FBI learned that at least seven of the hijackers had gotten Virginia I.D. cards. Law enforcement officials have concluded that for the past several years, tens of thousands of illegal immigrants were able to get legal driver's licenses or identification cards from Virginia. Applicants didn't need the standard proofs of identity or residency — such as social security cards or utility bills. Forms that were much easier to fake were accepted. And unscrupulous lawyers and notaries established a thriving illicit market for processing undocumented aliens for hefty fees.