In a debate that started after most residents went to bed Wednesday, the majority party initiated debate on a bill which would require the State Department of Motor Vehicles to issue valid Connecticut driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants who reside in the state.
The legislation, would, in the dead of night, bestow legal rights to a population that has illegally entered the United States. In fact, the proposal actually holds undocumented residents to a lower standard of proof of residency than that used by the DMV for legal residents. The measure did not go through normal legislative process, failed to pass through a single legislative committee and yet was passed in the House.
I raised numerous concerns with the proposal during debate on the House floor. It is alarming that no procedure exists to validate an individual’s residence or true identity. The bill provides an incentive for out-of-state felons to move to Connecticut since there is no attempt to ascertain if a criminal record exists for the applicant outside of Connecticut. Additionally, the bill allows unverifiable documents, such as emails, to suffice as valid forms of proving residence. It will be easier to get a license in Connecticut than a cellphone. And, DMV estimates it will need to hire 18 additional staff members to process this influx.
Ultimately, I fear this proposal will open the door to the possibility of voter fraud, employment fraud, and identity theft, among other things. For me, my vote came down to an issue of fairness. Thousands of legal immigrants have followed the law for generations and proudly became citizens. We should not reward the illegal behavior of some by allowing undocumented immigrants a privilege. Yes, the immigration issue should be addressed at the federal level, but Connecticut should not act to preempt federal law.
