Democrats Seek To Offer Driver's Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants

Undocumented immigrants would be eligible for driver's licenses in New Jersey under a bill introduced in the legislature Tuesday, allowing those now driving illegally to freely commute to work and bring their children to school.

The bill has the backing of key Democrats who control the legislature and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. Supporters have said licenses would improve public safety by enabling the undocumented already on the roads to get insurance and register their vehicles. They have also argued that it would ensure a moving violation doesn't lead to deportation, since U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can be alerted to an immigrant's arrest for driving without a license. 

The special license would be different from the regular state driver's license and could not be used for other purposes, like boarding an airplane. There are an estimated 500,000 undocumented individuals living in New Jersey. 

"We can't ignore the reality that undocumented immigrants are on the roads now, going to work, driving their children to school and doing the routine activities that all families do,” said State Sen. Joseph Vitale, who introduced the bill. "If they don't have a driver's license, don't have insurance and are driving a vehicle that isn't registered, it creates a hazard on the road. If you get in an accident with them, the damage may not be covered."

On Monday, 11 activists began a hunger strike to continue to press the legislature approve the bill. "We fight for driver's licenses because these are not luxury items,” said hunger striker Jose Ortiz of the activist group Movimiento Cosecha. "We fast for driver's licenses because we all deserve to drive safe without fear that the police will stop us."

Eleven states allow the undocumented to get licenses. A similar effort is also now underway in New York state, after control of the State Senate flipped to Democrats in the midterm elections.

Since the campaign was launched in January of this year, thousands of immigrant leaders across the state have marched in Trenton, held vigils, led a 12-day statewide pilgrimage, and occupied legislator’s offices urging them to pass this legislation.