A driver’s license isn’t just the card you need to legally get behind the wheel and out on the road. The document is so ubiquitous that it’s the country’s default form of government-issued identification. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is under fire after an international fugitive arrested by police last week was in possession of a legally issued license under a fake name. The man was taken into custody for allegedly stealing an $11,000 diamond bracelet with the help of a female accomplice.
The man who operated under several aliases entered the United States illegally in 2022 through Mexico. According to CBS News, he was wanted in three countries and part of an organized crime group based in Romania. The fugitive obtained a New York driver’s license last year under the name David Beckham Adam. Nassau County police claim that Adam and his accomplice engaged in a sleight-of-hand con at a jewelry store on Long Island. Video footage showed the woman slipping the bracelet while an employee was presenting the store’s merchandise.
Should driver’s licenses have multiple purposes?
Detectives would later find Adam and arrest him during a traffic stop. Police are still searching for his female accomplice. Being in the country illegally, Adam was transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for deportation. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said, “This isn’t the soccer player. This is a celebrity because this individual is wanted in many countries. There are many warrants out on this individual.” He added that the DMV should do background checks.
When access to transportation is a vital part of maintaining employment, should a driver’s license be a strictly-regulated form of identification? The DMV has a hard enough time ensuring that drivers are skilled enough to be on the road. However, the Department of Homeland Security disagrees. There’s now a two-tier license system with the introduction of REAL ID, which is only available to citizens and legal residents. While the new security standard allows REAL ID holders to enter federal buildings and board domestic flights, states can’t afford to strip driving privileges from people without federal documentation.
This isn’t the first time that New York’s DMV has been scrutinized this year. A joint law enforcement operation uncovered that three DMV employers and a Queens driving school operated a fraud scheme. The conspirators were bypassing road tests for $2,000, effectively selling licenses. Social media ads targeted Chinese immigrants from Fujian. In this scenario, the safety of drivers out on the road was a far greater concern than national security.
