RI Lawmaker Submits Bill to Grant Driving Permits to Immigrants Here Illegally

A Rhode Island lawmaker has submitted a bill that would enable the state Department of Motor Vehicles to issue driving permits to immigrants “unable to establish lawful presence in the United States,” according to a State House news release.

Sen. Frank A. Ciccone III (D-Dist. 7, Providence, North Providence) said in a statement that the bill would keep Rhode Island roads safer and boost the local economy.

“We want to ensure that all drivers, regardless of their immigration status, are trained, tested and insured when driving on our roads,” Ciccone said. “It would also be better for our economy.”

Immigrants who are here illegally often don‘t have proper identification to get driver’s licenses from the DMV, such as a Social Security card. The new legislation, if approved, would pave the way for the DMV to accept foreign birth certificates or “other legal documents” to get one of the driving privilege permits.

That permit could not be used for state identification purposes, however, and permit holders would not subsequently be entitled to other benefits, according to the text of the bill.

Though the bill is likely to face roadblocks on its way through committee, advocates like Ciccone argue that there’s no getting around the fact that undocumented immigrants are driving on public roads. As a result, accidents involving unlicensed and uninsured drivers happen frequently.

The full text of the proposed bill can be found HERE.

Ten other states have laws that offer similar driving privileges. They are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Vermont and Washington. Upon passage, the law would take effect on July 1, 2016.

What do you think about issuing driving permits?