Lawmakers in Michigan are seeking to restore the ability of undocumented people to obtain driver's licenses and identifications.
Democratic lawmakers in the state of Michigan are seeking to adopt legislation that would allow all state residents to obtain state IDs and driver's licenses, regardless of their immigration status. In other words, this law would also contemplate undocumented residents of the state, allowing them to access the aforementioned benefits.
Through the Drive SAFE (Safety, Access, Freedom, Economy) legislation, lawmakers seek greater safety for communities across the state, including the opportunity to drive safely without fear of deportation.
This law seeks a ruling issued by the state attorney general that year, which determined that undocumented immigrants could not obtain driver's licenses or state identifications.
“This barrier makes it difficult, even impossible, for people to do basic things, like go to the grocery store, drive to work or drop their children off at school. Immigrants and undocumented people are important contributors to our economy and our communities, and I am proud to advocate for them with these bills,” said Representative Rachel Hood, one of the sponsors of this law.
The new legislation seeks to increase security, without neglecting local economies and above all taking care of state residents. “Michigan's immigrants play an important and necessary role in the agricultural, automotive and manufacturing industries,” said Abraham Aiyash, Democratic leader of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Legislators have been working on Drive SAFE for almost ten years, however, now that they have a Democratic majority in both chambers, they seek to take the law to Governor Gretchen Whitmen so that it is finally approved and benefits the state's undocumented immigrant communities.
“When legislation like Drive SAFE is in law, the roads people drive on are much safer,” Aiyash concluded.
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