Hillary ‘Outraged’ Over Real ID Act

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is flip-flopping on her hard-line stance against illegal immigration, announcing this week that she’s “outraged” over the passage of the Real ID Act of 2005, which tightens driver’s license regulations and mandates the completion of a border fence in California.

Two years ago Clinton proclaimed, “I am, you know, adamantly against illegal immigrants,” before adding, “We might have to move towards an ID system even for citizens.”

But in a statement posted to her Web site Tuesday, Clinton complained that the new immigration bill was “seriously flawed” and shouldn’t have been attached to a “must-pass” military spending bill.

“I am outraged that the Republican leadership in both the House and Senate decided to . . . put this seriously flawed act into a bill to fund our troops,” the top Democrat said.

“Emergency legislation designed to provide our troops with the resources they need to fight terrorism on the front lines is not the place for broad, sweeping immigration reform,” she griped.

Clinton didn’t say why the bill was “seriously flawed,” beyond grousing that it was a “piecemeal” approach to the illegal immigration problem.

“I’m also deeply concerned,” she added, “that on an emergency supplemental [bill] to fund our troops . . . we are being asked to vote on the so-called ‘Real ID’ legislation. Its supporters say it is supposed to make our country safer, but how do we know that?”

Her comments were at odds with remarks she offered during a 2003 interview.

Asked specifically if she favored a national identification system, Clinton told WABC Radio she would support “at least a visa ID, some kind of an entry and exit ID. And, you know, perhaps, although I’m not a big fan of it, we might have to move towards an ID system even for citizens.”