On February 21, at the Capitol, the Freedom to Drive MN coalition launched a campaign for passage of legislation to authorize driver’s licenses for all Minnesotans, regardless of immigration status. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, chief sponsor of the bill, spoke at the rally, as did Representatives Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) and Aisha Gomez (D-Minneapolis), who are two of 30 co-sponsors of the bill.
Veronica, a DACA recipient from Worthington, said she “wants to live a normal life,” but that’s hard to do. “They tell you go to clubs and that these activities can help you on your resume,” she said, but her mother doesn’t have a driver’s license and that makes it difficult to participate in such activities.
Alfreda Daniels, co-founder of the Black Immigrant Collective, talked about a Sudanese mother, who does not have a driver’s license and cannot drive her disabled daughter to medical appointments or playdates. She said many people in the black immigrant community do not have driver’s licenses.
Dave Buck, president of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, and Liz Rammer, President and CEO of Hospitality Minnesota, spoke about the need for immigrant workers and for those employees to have driver’s licenses.
Prior to 2003, all Minnesotans who could pass the driving and written tests could obtain a driver’s license. The prohibition on licenses for unauthorized immigrants was imposed by then-Governor Pawlenty in 2003. Minnesota lawmakers have the power to reverse the 2003 decision, remove the ban, and support families and communities. In fact, lawmakers in at least 12 other states have already taken action to end the prohibition on undocumented immigrants obtaining licenses.
An estimated 95,000 undocumented immigrants live in Minnesota. More than half have lived in the United States for more than a decade. Some 10,000 have lived here for more than 20 years. Among adults, 72 percent are working and 33 percent own their own homes. Many are essential workers in health care, agriculture, and other fields.
Lack of a driver’s license means that everyday tasks like giving a neighbor a ride to church or picking up children from after-school activities or driving to the doctor’s office can result in potentially life-altering consequences. For these Minnesota residents, something as minor as being pulled over for a burned-out headlight can trigger a series of events that results in separation from their families and the loss of their homes and livelihoods. That uncertainty traumatizes children and takes a deep toll on families and communities.
The benefits of reducing obstacles to obtaining driver licenses will extend beyond immigrant families. Allowing all immigrants to obtain licenses will make Minnesota highways safer, result in insurance savings for a broad pool of drivers, and help businesses connect with workers who have skill sets that match employer needs.
Law enforcement supports creating access to driver’s licenses for all immigrants to be able to verify everyone’s identity, giving them greater ability to protect public safety. Allowing undocumented immigrants access to licenses would grant greater ability to enforce laws in immigrant communities. Allowing undocumented immigrants access to a license, a way to drive legally, and a way to identify themselves to law enforcement would increase trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, leading to greater collaboration and cooperation.
Driver’s licenses would be distinctively marked as required under federal law and would not be valid for REAL ID purposes. Issuing licenses without proof of immigration status would not only benefit undocumented immigrants, but also those experiencing homelessness, the elderly, and other groups who may have difficulty obtaining hard-to-access documentation.
The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota is a member of Freedom to Drive MN, a broad statewide coalition of nonprofit organizations, unions, immigrants’ rights advocates, community-based groups and collectives, faith-based organizations, workers’ rights advocates and businesses advocating for Driver’s Licenses for All Minnesotans.
For more information, see Quick Facts: Driver’s Licenses for All.