The Illinois House has passed a bill to make it possible for noncitizen residents to receive a standard driver's license. Currently, such persons may only obtain a Temporary Visitor Driver's License, which may not be used as identification. As of May 1 the bill was awaiting a final vote in the Senate. The legislation would prohibit state authorities from delivering personal information, including immigration status, to federal officials when individuals apply for a standard driver's license.
The bill would also eliminate the current requirement that noncitizens either possess an unexpired passport or be able to prove residency in the state for a year before taking the driving exam. Instead, otherwise valid identification that has expired within the past two years would now be accepted. Noncitizens could only receive a standard driver's license, not the REAL ID license, which remains available only to citizens.
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, is opposed to the bill and says it improperly accommodates people who are in the country illegally. "The federal government is failing on the issue of immigration," he said in an email to Illinois Times. "Meanwhile it's costing the state of Illinois hundreds of millions of dollars in 'free' services for individuals who are here illegally." Davidsmeyer says that the new license is an attempt to evade federal immigration laws. "I don't believe that we should be rewarding individuals who are operating outside of [federal] law."
"This legislation will make our roads safer and protects immigrants who are legally able to drive," Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a statement. "As with all drivers, immigrants who drive in Illinois must prove they are safe, capable motorists in order to earn the standard driver's license."
Proponents of the measure point to studies which conclude that allowing noncitizens easier access to driver's licenses reduces the number of uninsured drivers, decreases the incidence of hit-and-run accidents, and provides a boost to local economies through auto sales, insurance sales and higher productivity among those of working age. Currently, 19 states, including Illinois, authorize some form of driver's licenses for persons without legal immigration status.
Members of Springfield's immigrant community expressed optimism about the new measure. They report that obtaining a Temporary Visitor Driver's License under current law is so difficult that many do not take advantage of it. For instance, if an applicant does not have an unexpired passport, he must prove residency in Illinois for the past 12 months. Many recent arrivals live in shared accommodations where the lease and utilities are contracted in someone else's name. This makes proving residency difficult. "I know a lot of people who would like to get a driver's license, but they don't have the right paperwork because nothing is in their name," says Cristina. We are only using first names in order to maintain anonymity.
Javier, who also lives in Springfield, says that since the TVDL is not valid for identification, its only purpose is to prove to police officers that he is authorized to drive. "You can't use it to pick up prescription medicine, put utilities in your name, or open a bank account," he says. Javier said he would immediately obtain a standard license that can be used as identification, since it would make it much easier for him to conduct business with local merchants.
Sarah Mellor is social services director at The Immigration Project, based in Bloomington. She said that while she understands Davidsmeyer's point of view, connecting driver's licenses with federal immigration policy isn't the best frame of reference. For instance, the state would never deny driving privileges to someone if they were suspected of underpaying federal income tax or violating federal securities laws. "Illinois has no say in how the federal government enforces immigration laws," she said, "but the state does have the power to make sure that every driver has the opportunity and the obligation to pass the driver's test, making Illinois roads safer for everybody."
Don Howard is an intern at Illinois Times while completing his master's degree in Public Affairs Reporting at University of Illinois Springfield. He can be reached at [email protected] or 336-455-6966.
