Which states give drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants

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Nebraska is the last state to allow undocumented youth to get driver’s licenses

1 Jun

by Foster, on News

More than 2,700 young undocumented immigrants in Nebraska now have the right to apply for driver’s licenses.

The Nebraska legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Pete Ricketts on Thursday to pass a bill ending the state’s ban on licenses for DREAMers. Nebraska is the last state in the country to allow them to receive driver’s licenses.

President Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy gave young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children protection from deportation, a social security number, and a work permit.

In most states, DACA also meant a driver’s license, but Arizona and Nebraska were the only states to block access to licenses for covered immigrants. A Supreme Court decision forced Arizona to award licenses in December.

Nebraska’s new law allowing licenses went into effect immediately, and 33 people covered by DACA received licenses or ID cards on Friday, Rhonda Lahm, the director of the state’s DMV, confirmed to Fusion.

“I’ve been waiting for this for such a long time,” Mayra Saldana, 26, told the Journal Star as she waited in line at an office in Lincoln. Now she can take her planned road trip to Denver or Chicago, she said.

“In rural parts of Nebraska, public transportation is pretty much nonexistent, so this is a big deal for me,” Luis Olivas, also 26, told the Omaha World-Herald.

The driver’s license bill is the second example last week of the red state’s unicameral legislature standing up to a veto of a major progressive priority. Legislators also ended the death penalty in the state, overriding Ricketts’ veto.

While Nebraska’s law is worth celebrating, thousands of undocumented immigrants around the country are still prevented from driving legally. There are currently only 10 states, along with D.C. and Puerto Rico, that allow all undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses, according to the National Immigration Law Center. Last week, an appeals court blocked Obama’s expansion of DACA, which would have allowed parents of DREAMers and permanent residents defer deportation and access licenses.

Debates over giving undocumented immigrants licenses have “more than driving at stake,” writes Jonathan Blazer, a staff attorney at the ACLU. “For states and Dreamers alike, a driver’s license symbolizes belonging, membership, and acceptance.”

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Pennsylvania House Democrats Propose Driver's License for Undocumented Immigrants

Which states give drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants

Legislation to grant a driver’s license to undocumented immigrants has been introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Reps. Danilo Burgos, D-Philadelphia; Joseph C. Hohenstein, D-Philadelphia; Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny; and Christopher M. Rabb, D-Philadelphia were among the few who sponsored House Bill 2835. If passed, this bill would enable many immigrants to legally apply for and receive a driver’s license. These non-citizens are otherwise unable to acquire a license due to the lack of Social Security number and legal status.

Who in Pennsylvania Is Eligible to Obtain a License?

If the bill is passed, any non-citizen, including undocumented immigrants, will be able to procure a driver’s license. A non-citizen may apply for a Pennsylvania driver’s license upon establishing their lawful presence in the United States and the Commonwealth. The Department of Transportation (“the Department”) may issue the license after the applicant has lawfully resided in the United States for a period of one year or more after the date of the application, or for a shorter time if deemed appropriate by the Department.

Any non-citizen who has received a waiver from the federal government for not having a Social Security number will also be issued a driver’s license. Licenses that are granted to non-citizens will indicate that the license holder is a non-citizen.

Information that is transcribed in the course of acquiring a license, such as photographs, Social Security number, tax identification number, telephone number, birthplace, country of origin, workplace, schools attended, income, public benefits history, utility information, or other information that is not typically considered a public record will not be disclosed to any federal authorities. If ever the information is given out to any authority, the bill provides for notifying the license holder.

Contents of the Driver’s License Application Form

The form gives the option of entering either the Social Security number or the tax identification number. Applicants may also provide emergency contact details and personal medical information.

Renewal of the Expired License

Licenses that have been issued based on Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) credentials or documents will be valid until the expiration of the INS credentials. In case the expiration of the INS credential exceeds a period of four years, the license will expire one day after the applicant’s date of birth, but not more than four years from the date of issuance. If a non-citizen has been granted permanent legal status, the Department can use its discretion to require proof of INS credentials.

Rep. Burgos wrote in his legislative memorandum, “Unfortunately, many undocumented persons are unable to apply for a driver’s license in Pennsylvania because they do not have the required Social Security number. As a result, they are contributing income and sales taxes without the equal protections and basic rights that the rest of us enjoy, such as the ability to drive safely to work, school, or stores.”

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s license. These states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington. In 2019, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon became the most recent states to enact the legislation.

Can undocumented immigrants get a driver's license in USA?

More broadly, undocumented drivers can currently obtain a driver's license, or a similar certificate allowing them to legally drive, in Washington, D.C., as well as 12 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

Can undocumented immigrants get a driver's license in Florida?

Non-Immigrants will be entitled to issuance of driver license or ID for a period of four (4) years or less, based on the expiration date of current immigration documents presented. Proof of social security number is required for all applicants who have been authorized by USCIS to work in the United States.

Does California allow driver's license to illegals?

Thankfully, illegal aliens do have a way to legally get a driver's license in California. California offers people who are unable to prove legal presence an option called the “AB 60” driver's license. These licenses and all other parts of immigration law can be hard to understand.

Can undocumented immigrants get license in NJ?

In April 2021, it became legal for undocumented immigrants to obtain New Jersey driver's licenses.