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A state House bill that would require driver's license applicants to be in the United States legally is pitting a Hispanic advocacy group against sponsors who say they want to crack down on potential terrorists. Current state law requires an applicant for a driver's license, identification card or learner's permit to present a Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. House Bill 40 would prohibit the use of the taxpayer identification number and would require that applicants demonstrate that they are U.S. citizens or are here with authorization. "The purpose of the bill is to ensure those people are who they say they are when given the privilege" to drive in North Carolina, bill co-sponsor Rep. Cary Allred, R-Alamance, said Tuesday at a meeting of a House judiciary committee. Raleigh-based El Pueblo, a Hispanic advocacy group, said existing Division of Motor Vehicles guidelines work and the proposed legislation is unnecessary. "El Pueblo believes we should not set immigration policy through our DMV offices," said Andrea Bazan-Manson, executive director of El Pueblo. "I think some folks out there [think] that anybody that comes here from Mexico tomorrow can walk into a license office, get a license and go blow up a plane." In 2001, the state changed its driver's license rules to allow applicants to use a taxpayer identification number in lieu of a Social Security number on their application. The taxpayer ID number became an issue in last year's governor's race, when a candidate for the Republican nomination accused Gov. Mike Easley of making it easier for terrorists and illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses by signing the change into law. [more]