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Minnesota House Floor Vote on Driver’s Licenses for All
Posted on Jan 26 2023
January 26, 2023 – Next Monday, January 30, at 3:30 p.m., the full Minnesota House of Representatives will vote on, the Driver’s Licenses for All bill (HF 4). The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) joins other advocates, unions, community-based groups, law enforcement, and businesses in urging the Minnesota House to pass the bill.
The bill will restore driver’s licenses to all Minnesotans regardless of immigration status so long as they pass the written and practical tests, increasing safe legal access to our shared roads for everyone. This was the law until 2003 when the governor unilaterally revoked this right.
“Access to driver’s licenses is important for public safety, economic growth, and the dignity of our community members,” said ILCM executive director Veena Iyer. “Every day, Minnesota residents who are undocumented go to work, care for family members, attend school, advocate for positive changes, and connect with other residents of Minnesota. We need them and all that they contribute to our Minnesota community. They need driver’s licenses.”
Currently, eighteen states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico allow residents to access driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status.
“Issuing licenses without proof of immigration status would not only benefit immigrants, but also those experiencing homelessness, the elderly, and other groups who may have difficulty obtaining hard-to-access documentation,” said Iyer.