Bill to Expand Driver’s Licenses for Immigrants Approved
The Massachusetts House approved a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants in the country to obtain state driver’s licenses.
Activists have long lobbied for the measure, saying it will help improve public safety — including for those who already have driver’s licenses — by requiring that immigrants demonstrate they can properly operate a car and that they have obtained the needed insurance in the event of an accident.
The bill would also make it less likely for immigrants to leave the scene of an accident because they would face less of a threat of deportation with a drivers’ license, backers said.
Opponents of the bill argue that that driver’s licenses are a privilege that should not be offered to those not in the country legally.
The bill requires individuals provide documentation to obtain a license including proof of their identity, residency in the state and date of birth. The new rules would apply to those who do not have proof they are in the country legally, including those not eligible for a Social Security number.
Those seeking a license must present at least two documents. The first must be either a valid unexpired foreign passport or a valid unexpired consular identification.
A second kind of identification could include an unexpired driver’s license from any US state or territory, a birth certificate, a valid unexpired foreign national identification card or foreign driver’s license, or a marriage certificate issued in Massachusetts.
The bill also states that immigrants eligible for the driver’s licenses would not be registered to vote as a result.
16 other states in the US have adopted this measure. The licenses would not become available until July 1, 2023.
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