11/23/2013  Kristine Tungol Cabagnot  Headline News "DC Follows 11 States Allowing Undocumented Immigrants to Drive Legally"

Washington, DC– The D.C. Council passed a bill this week, which was signed by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, that allows undocumented residents to apply for driver’s licenses. The new policy, which goes into effect May 1, 2014, sets up a system where undocumented immigrants will receive licenses that are the same but for their being marked “not valid for official federal purposes.”

Outside of D.C., 11 states and Puerto Rico allow people to apply for driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status. Last week, Illinois began to implement its law to issue licenses to undocumented immigrants living in the state if they meet conditions like purchasing insurance. Illinois state officials expect half a million people to eventually apply for the ability to drive legally.

Not that long ago, only two states (New Mexico and Washington) allowed undocumented immigrants to be eligible for driver’s licenses. Now they are joined by: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Utah, Vermont, and now DC.

Sources: ImmigrationProf Blog; Immigration Impact;  NILC Driver’s Licenses Map

————————–

Kristine Tungol Cabagnot is an attorney at Tungol Law, and welcomes your thoughts and queries at kristine@tungollaw.com.

‍