CT Drivers May Get Snared In Florida Immigration Crackdown

CONNECTICUT — If you're planning a road trip to Florida, better check that you have the right Connecticut driver's license.

The Sunshine State has ceased to honor certain classes of licenses which do not provide proof the driver is in the U.S. legally.

Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii and Vermont are currently the only states issuing licenses flagged by Florida legislators, but they are not the only ones offering driver's licenses to unauthorized immigrants. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws offering driving privileges to non-citizens.

The current list "necessarily and unavoidably is evolving, may change due to the revision of driver license issuance requirements in other states, and will be updated periodically," according to the Florida DMV website.

The I.D. crackdown coincides with stricter worker verification regulations that went into effect in Florida on July 1.

On Florida's radar is a Connecticut drive-only license designed specifically for undocumented workers "unable to establish lawful presence in the United States." The drive-only license is not valid for federal identification purposes, and cannot be used to vote. It sports a prominent "DO" inside the state outline to the upper right of the photo, and "Not For Federal Identification" below the central banner.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has made the control of illegal immigration a cornerstone of his 2024 presidential campaign, and has become a lightning rod for criticism from some Latino advocacy groups.

"Someone who is in our country illegally and has violated our laws should not possess a government-issued ID which allows them access to state-funded services and other privileges afforded to lawful residents," DeSantis said in a statement.