ROCHESTER - Sen. Charles Schumer sidestepped the heated debate over driver's licenses for illegal immigrants once again Monday, saying the best way to cut illegal immigration is through Social Security cards.

Schumer and fellow New York Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton have so far avoided endorsing Gov. Eliot Spitzer's plan to offer three types of licenses: one for crossing the Canadian border, another to board domestic flights and a third for illegal immigrants for driving and identity purposes.

The plan is part of a deal struck with the Department of Homeland Security last month to push through the federal Real ID Act, a law to make driver's licenses more secure and keep them out of the hands of would-be terrorists.

Under Spitzer's plan, two types of licenses would meet or exceed the Real ID standards, while the third version would not meet those standards but would be available to illegal immigrants.

Asked about Spitzer's plan, Schumer talked about certain aspects without saying whether he actually supports or opposes it.

“I am for, at the federal level, Real ID, which doesn't countenance illegal immigrants to use driver's licenses for any purpose at all,” Schumer said. He then added that he would fight illegal immigration through Social Security ID cards, which he claimed would cut the flow of illegals by 80 percent.

“The most important thing I've done on this area is I have come up with this proposal for a biometric Social Security card with your picture that everyone would have to present before they got a job,” he said.