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Freedom to Drive Coalition Statement Following Passage of HF1500 in the Minnesota House
Posted on Apr 12 2019
SAINT PAUL — Following the Minnesota House passing HF1500, the driver’s license for all bill, the Freedom to Drive coalition released the following statement:
“We are excited that the Minnesota House has heard the voices of Minnesota families. This unprecedented moment was only possible because of the thousands of Minnesotan families who have been fighting for over a decade to make this happen. We know that driver’s licenses for all means safer families and more prosperous communities. Issuing licenses to undocumented immigrant families is a major step toward recognizing the full dignity of all Minnesotans. We look forward to working with the Senate and Governor Walz and getting this law passed this legislative session.”
BACKGROUND: In 2003, then-Governor, Tim Pawlenty changed the rules and barred the state from issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. For the past ten years, impacted community members and advocates have worked to restore driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants. This year’s effort is backed by a coalition of non-profit organizations, unions, immigrants’ rights advocates, community-based groups and collectives, faith-based organizations, workers’ rights advocates and businesses led by the Multiracial Coalition on Immigration.
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Full List of Freedom To Drive Coalition Members
Accountability in Action (St Cloud)
ACLU
Advocates for Human Rights
Asamblea de Derechos Civiles
Asian American Organizing Project
Black Immigrant Collective
CAIR-Mn
Citlalcoatl
City of Mpls, Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
City of St Paul Mayor Carter’s office
Club Cuernavaca
COPAL
CTUL
De Leon & Nestor, LLC
Education Minnesota
Hunddle for Action, Annandale (St Cloud)
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM)
Immigrant Movement for Justice
Indigenous Roots
Inquilinxs
Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM)
ISAIAH
Jewish Community Action
Kalpulli Elohuayotl Mitotiani
Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue
Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli
KetzalCoatlicue
LCD SPPS
LOVE HOPE RISE
MIM
Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation
Minnesota Budget Project
Minnesota Nurses Association
MIRAC
MN AFL-CIO
MN Council on Latino Affairs
Morena Minnesota
NAPAWF (St Cloud)
Navigate Mn/ Unidos MN
Organization
Peace Unite Church of Christ (St Cloud)
Proyecto Latino
Release Mn 8
Rice County Neighbors United
SEIU- local 26
SEIU- State Council
Sembrando Poder
Social Concerns, Caridades Catolicas (St Cloud)
Unite Here! Local 17
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 663
University of Minnesota Legal Clinic
Vecinos Sur del Rio
Vecinos Unidos Rochester
Voices for Racial Justice
Women’s March Minnesota