Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants (H 7610, S 2333)

In March and May, the ACLU testified before the House and Senate Judiciary committees, respectively, in support of legislation permitting the issuance of driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. Current law requires a social security number before obtaining a driver’s licenses; this legislation would allow for identity verification using a number of other factors, including a utility bill. Ensuring that individuals who are capable of driving safely can do so will keep the roads safer by enabling these individuals to obtain driver’s training and have their training skills evaluated on a regular basis, while also allowing them to obtain automobile insurance. The legislation further included a number of protections to ensure that licenses cannot be used to harass undocumented immigrants or to seek information on those individuals who have legally obtained licenses. Similar legislation has been introduced for the past several years but never acted on. Neither bill received a vote this year.