After eight years in the united states, today is the first time he has been able to apply for a california driver s license. Drivers licenses ab 60 california immigrant policy center. Under ab 60, any california resident is able to apply for a driver s license, regardless of immigration status. Getting a california driver s license simply means that you are allowed to operate a vehicle within the state of california and to carry an identity card proving that fact. These statescalifornia, colorado, connecticut, delaware, hawaii, illinois, maryland, nevada. Driver license applicants under ab 60 must meet all other qualifications for licensure and must provide satisfactory proof of identity and california residency. Under california s safe and responsible drivers act, illegal immigrants will be able to apply for drivers licenses this year. Cipc advocates for policies that uphold the humanity of immigrants and refugees while. Ab 60 driver license california department of motor vehicles. Drivers licenses for undocumented targeted by ca plan the. Ca roads safer after undocumented immigrants got drivers.
Opponents argued cutting off unauthorized immigrants from getting a driver s license and insurance would make roads less safe. Two years after the implementation of ab 60 on jan. However, california blocked off this access in 1991, by asking all driver license applicants to provide proof of citizenship. In promising to sign the bill allowing illegal immigrants driver s licenses, california gov. Can an undocumented person in california get a drivers. Can an undocumented person in california get a drivers license. States issue drivers licenses under the constitutional authority of the. The coalition is committed to successful implementation of ab 60 and drivers licenses for all. Under a state law, more than a million u ndocumented immigrants are. Ca law officers may not arrest or discriminate against a driver who shows them this form of identification. The air force did not mention ab 60 drivers licenses. It is the premier immigrant rights institution in the state. Drivers licenses for illegal immigrants in the united.
No, california didnt pass a law allowing undocumented. Motor voter registration is new california law and automatically enrolls residents to vote when they renew their driver s license. The driver s license measure will make illegal immigrants eligible to drive legally in california if they qualify for a new federal work permit program. Two years later, california explicitly committed to require proof of license to state issued drivers licenses by passing senate bill 976. Immigrants without legal status line up to apply for california driver licenses at dmv offices january 2, 2015 in granada hills. As of january 1, 2015, undocumented immigrants have been able to get a drivers license in california. Citizens would have to provide similar proof to obtain a drivers license or identification card.
Undocumented immigrant drivers licenses top 900,000 in ca. More than a million illegal immigrants scored california. Until recently, california was one of many states that issued driver licenses or identification cards id that were not compliant with the real id act. New law allows illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses. California to allow drivers licenses for illegal immigrants. Find out more about applying for a real id driver license or id card. In the state of california, obtaining a drivers license did not require proof of legal presence since the early 1990s. Thousands of undocumented immigrants eagerly awaited their chance to apply for a driver s license in california, some in nearfreezing temperatures. These statescalifornia, colorado, connecticut, delaware, hawaii.
For undocumented immigrants, getting a drivers license. In january of 2015, a new law went into effect in california allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses. The men were identified as undocumented and eventually detained by immigration and customs enforcement. A field office visit is required to apply for a real id. The green light law will take effect as planned, tomorrow dec. The california department of motor vehicles said that, since a law signed by gov. Immigrants in the country illegally were allowed to obtain driver s licenses throughout the u. California prepares for millions of immigrants applying.
In new jersey, immigration activists and undocumented immigrants had also been fighting for years for the right to obtain driver s licenses in a state with a large immigrant. For more information, view an example of ab 60 california driver license. In reality, the california law that goes into effect in april 2018 will automatically register only those eligible to vote when they renew or obtain a drivers license. Before, a legal social security number was required for a license in. That obama administration protocol allows illegal immigrants who came to the united states before they were 16, and who are now 30 or younger and meet certain other criteria, to obtain work. Californias immigrant drivers license bill is driving. How to get a drivers license for illegal immigrants wikihow. California this spring will begin automatically registering adults who obtain or renew a driver s license to vote, leading to some concern noncitizens and immigrants illegally living in the. Should an undocumented immigrant get an ab60 drivers. Now the policy has moved from the capitol corridors to the streets of california, where as many as 1. You will need a federal compliant card such as a passport, military id, or real id to board a domestic flight or access some federal facilities beginning october 1, 2020. Driver license information california department of.
With a co driver s license, permit, or id card issued under sb 251, you may not be discriminated against in any way, nor can your driver s license be held against you to determine your citizenship or immigration status. The law requires the dmv to issue a california drivers license to anyone who can. New california law allows immigrants to receive drivers. California has implemented a law providing for the automatic voter registration of motorists who obtain or renew drivers licenses, and critics contend that the law will make it easier for. What undocumented immigrants face with the real id act. California grants drivers licenses to 1 million illegal. California will automatically register illegal immigrants to vote. The state would use a multitier system to issue driver s licenses to undocumented immigrants, who would qualify for a license that could not be used for federal identification purposes. Illegal immigrants have been legally allowed to obtain driver s licenses in the state since jan. These statescalifornia, colorado, connecticut, delaware, hawaii, illinois, maryland, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, new york, oregon, utah, vermont and washingtonissue a license if an applicant provides certain documentation, such as a foreign birth certificate, foreign passport, or consular card and evidence of current residency in the state. California begins illegal immigrants drivers license program.
For undocumented immigrants, getting a driver s license could spell trouble with ice in 12 states and washington, d. Previous to this bill, drivers licenses were only issued to california residents who could. Brown said he hoped it would send a message to washington that immigration reform is long past due. But recent developments indicate that the california department of motor vehicle dmv will begin accepting applications for ids and driver licenses that are compliant after january 22, 2018. This license affords you the same driving privileges as a documented citizen, and also holds you to the same laws and. California assembly bill 60 ab60 is a bill passed into law that, in effect, allows undocumented immigrants to the united states to apply for a california drivers license. The federation for american immigration reform warned it would lead to more accidents caused by uninsured motorists, and many would be hitandrun. How to get a driver s license for illegal immigrants. Brown predicted that california s endorsement of driver s licenses for immigrants will mean more states will follow. Undocumented immigrants can lawfully drive in california with an ab 60 license. The drive california coalition is a statewide coalition of immigrants rights advocates, communitybased organizations, service providers, faithbased organizations and workers rights advocates. Undocumented immigrants apply for drivers licenses in.
California drivers license program for those here illegally surpasses. How drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants would work. States and dc that allow drivers licenses for people in the. California opens drivers license applications to illegal. This legislation directed the states department of motor vehicles to issue a driver s license to any resident who was eligible for the identification, regardless of what their immigration status is at the time. Immigrants in the country illegally have not been allowed to apply for a drivers license in california since the state began requiring proof of legal presence during the 1990s. California s immigrant guide california has developed innovative services that help immigrants become part of the social, economic and civic fabric of our state. Jerry brown signed assembly bill 60, the safe and responsible.
The dmv started offering real id driver licenses and id cards on january 22, 2018. An initiative that would reverse a law that allows immigrants residing in california illegally to obtain drivers licenses has been cleared to begin gathering signatures for the 2020 ballot. Immigrants in the country illegally were allowed to obtain drivers licenses throughout the u. States offering drivers licenses to immigrants ncsl. As of july 2015, twelve states and the district of columbia have passed laws allowing unauthorized immigrants to get drivers licenses. Should an undocumented immigrant get an ab60 drivers license in. Miguel ayala waits with his son, jesus, and other immigrants to register for a driver s license at a california department of motor vehicles office in stanton, calif. Drivers licenses for undocumented targeted by ca plan. Immigrants and allies worked tirelessly to pass assembly bill 60, the safe and responsible driver s act. It doesnt take a genius to imagine all of the chaos and red tape such a program would cause, but it is exacerbated in a state like california that also has decided to allow illegal aliens to obtain driver.
California driver licenses given to 800,000 undocumented. Our california criminal and immigration lawyers explain all undocumented aliens. For further assistance in providing the proper documentation, select ab 60 checklist. Obtaining a california driver s license does not give you any sort of legal status in the united states. California oks giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. With a driver s license, you feel much more secure, said hortencia, an undocumented immigrant from oakland who declined to give her last name because of her legal status. California has granted drivers licenses to more than a million illegal immigrants, the state reported wednesday. California assembly bill 60 ab60 is a bill passed into law that, in effect, allows undocumented immigrants to the united states to apply for a california drivers license with the ca department of motor vehicles dmv.