Minnesota House to vote on driver’s licenses for people in US illegally

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Home of Representatives on Monday, Jan. 30, was getting ready to vote on a invoice to permit individuals within the U.S. illegally to acquire a state driver’s license.

The “Driver’s Licenses For All” invoice would take away the requirement for license candidates to supply proof of citizenship or lawful presence within the nation. Minnesota created the requirement 20 years in the past, barring these with out authorized standing from acquiring a license.

Advocates say individuals within the U.S. illegally will typically drive no matter whether or not or not they will acquire a license, and that they shouldn’t be pressured to reside in concern whereas attending to work, medical appointments or taking their youngsters to highschool. Additionally they argue increasing licenses would additionally imply extra vetting for drivers and safer roads because of this.

“We like to spotlight the immigrant neighborhood as a result of that is what this invoice is for,” mentioned Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega, DFL-St. Paul. “However let’s additionally spotlight that this can be a invoice for all Minnesotans’ public security.”

Advocates, Vega and different DFL lawmakers held a Capitol information convention forward of Home ground debate Monday afternoon to emphasize the significance of passing the invoice.

The invoice enjoys assist from a broad group of pursuits, together with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce and the St. Paul Police Division. Minnesota Driver and Car Companies additionally backs the change.

Republicans have expressed concern that the licenses might be used for voter fraud, and have tried to amend the invoice to create safeguards. Home invoice important creator Rep. Aisha Gomez, DFL-Minneapolis, has referred to as these considerations a “pink herring” distracting from the aim of the invoice.

There are as much as 95,000 individuals with out authorized immigration standing residing in Minnesota, based on the Pew Analysis Heart, and immigration advocates have been preventing to revive their driving privileges since Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty instituted a proof of lawful admission rule for licenses in 2003.

With Democratic-Farmer-Labor managed state authorities, restoration of licenses for anybody who can show state residence is shortly shifting via the Legislature. Gov. Tim Walz mentioned he’d signal a invoice into legislation.

“Driver’s Licenses For All” wouldn’t apply to enhanced driver’s licenses or Actual ID, which each require proof of U.S. citizenship. The kind of license anybody would be capable of acquire could be a noncompliant Class D state driver’s license.

The invoice would additionally develop the set of paperwork a license applicant may use to show state residence. Licenses couldn’t bear any indication of the possessor’s citizenship or immigration standing.

Eighteen different states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico at present enable these with out authorized standing to acquire a license. A invoice to do the identical in Minnesota has appeared a number of instances within the state Legislature, although it didn’t make it to the governor’s desk when the DFL managed the Home, Senate and governor’s workplace in 2013 and 2014.

Republicans have stood towards the invoice previously and in 2019 tried to cement Pawlenty’s 2003 rule develop into state legislation.

If the Home passes the invoice Monday night time, its Senate companion nonetheless awaits a listening to on the Senate Judiciary and Public Security Committee.

Observe Alex Derosier on Twitter @xanderosier or electronic mail aderosier@forumcomm.com.