Driving Licenses

No action was taken on a bill drafted by the ACLU, and supported by a coalition of immigrants’ rights groups, to address the problems faced by both legal and undocumented immigrants in getting drivers’ licenses, while establishing clear and strict criteria to reduce fraud. The bill seeks to overturn Governor Carcieri’s decision to bar individuals without Social Security Numbers from getting drivers’ licenses. Denying licenses to undocumented residents only forces them to drive without a license and without insurance, thus hindering public safety, and has the ironic impact of making it more difficult for the government to track immigrants residing here. In light of the recent passage of a federal law that will require nationwide standards for drivers’ licenses, advocacy groups will now find themselves limited in how they can address this problem in a positive manner.