"I have very grave concerns about the impacts this bill will have on public safety and the integrity of our elections," Rep. Steve Xiarhos, a Republican, said Wednesday on social media. "Leah and I will not sit by idly and watch the consequences of this bill take away the safety and democratic rights of Massachusetts residents. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. UL/ CUL Constant Volatge LED Power Supply, UL/ CUL Constant Current LED Power Supply, Room 8055, 5th floor. Trying to ensure our drivers licenses have integrity and cannot be misused for various purposes those are important things, and those things dont go away because of the hardships weve heard about.. "It is unnecessary because we are just focused on the ability of someone to drive.". During the debate over the bill Thursday, SHNS reported, the five Democrats and three Republicans argued for having drivers licenses issued to undocumented immigrants reflect their undocumented status in some form. Nineteen states have laws in place that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a drivers license, including Nevada, Utah, Oregon and Washington. Please join us as we make a difference in the lives of newcomers. It prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles from asking about or keeping documents related to immigration status. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of Massachusetts residents conducted in April found a nearly even split of support and opposition for the licensing idea, an uneasy balance that could get tilted one way or the other once prospective campaigns begin flooding the public sphere. This session, having amassed enough votes to steamroll a veto, they went for it. Nineteen states have laws in place that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a drivers license, including Nevada, Utah, Oregon and Washington. She's covered politics, immigration, incarceration, and health for The Guardian, DigBoston, The Boston Globe, and The Associated Press. Charlie But the legislature gets the final word. This bill is a free ticket to government benefits, Lynch said. A Suffolk University-Boston Globe poll of 800 Massachusetts residents published Monday found that 46.6% of residents oppose the measure, while 46.1% support it. The Senate voted 32-8 Thursday. Sen. Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon) testifies before the Senate Transportation Committee regarding his bill to make a restricted driver's license available to all Idaho residents regardless of immigration status. Minnesota state legislators recently passed the Drivers License for All bill (HF 4), which could pave the way for undocumented immigrants to get valid drivers If opponents of the new law pursue that action -- and are successful at gathering signatures -- the timing could line up almost perfectly to put the question before voters at the Nov. 8 election. Proponents of the Work and Family Mobility Act have long said it will improve road safety and assuage immigrants worries of being revealed as undocumented and face deportation because of a routine traffic stop or accident. How legitimate are those concerns? Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2021/06/24/proponents-opponents-lay-out-arguments-against-drivers-licenses-for-illegal-immigrants-in-massachusetts/, EightPillars of the Modern Democratic Party. Hongmei Neon Equipment Factory "It basically means, in some respects, the Registry is going to be flying blind with respect to what it issues when it issues these licenses. Vote No On All, Massachusetts Bill Would Provide Free College For Illegal, Massachusetts Senate Bill Would Provide In-State Tuition To, With Howitzers and Helicopters, Western States Trigger, Three Massachusetts Members of Congress Backing, Elizabeth Warren Wants To See More Defense Contractors, Maura Healey To Release Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget This Week, West Roxbury State Rep Cashing In With Massachusetts Biotechnology Council Gig. Pitching the bill as a road safety and immigration measure, supporters said it would ensure that some of the 185,000 immigrants who already live in Massachusetts without legal status are properly tested before driving and relieve their fears of traffic stops spiraling into devastating consequences. Dongpeng Debao Commercial Center. "There's a ton of policies and procedures and training that will have to be done across the registry to actually pull this off, and there's no one who works for the registry currently who knows what any of these foreign documents look like or how to determine their validity," he said. Driver's Licenses Bill Is Law. To apply for a drivers license, immigrants will have to show two documents proving their date of birth and identity, like an unexpired foreign passport, consular Are we asking them to become experts in foreign documentation and forgery detection? Whelan said. We couldn't do it without you. Huanhua Road, Liwan District, Guangzhou,Guangdong (P.R.China). Those people who have elected you to protect them, not just physically protect them in the communities they live in but to protect their jobs, their livelihood, their wages, to give them an opportunity to work hard to provide for their families, to save for a rainy day, opportunities for their children to have summer jobs, opportunities for their 18-year-olds high school graduates to begin careers lifelong careers. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr rose in opposition to the bill, calling it very, very problematic and citing concerns over voter registration. Surely, we shouldnt have to rely on Charlie Baker, a Republican, and my former junior high classmate, to veto a measure that harms those at the bottom of the economic ladder.. Critics contend it could have negative impacts on public safety and could threaten the electoral process. Gomez called concerns that the bill would unleash voter fraud a "red herring.". If passed into law, immigrants would qualify for a Massachusetts standard driver's license if they presented valid proof of identity, date of birth and state residency. Idahos bill The state Senate joined the House Thursday in overriding a veto by Gov. It prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles from asking about or keeping documents related to immigration status. "I am one of those who comes to the chamber concerned about some of the provisions before us, concerned because a driver's license is one of the most, if not the most, recognizable, important pieces of identification in our society, bar none," Tarr, the Republican leader, said at the start of the session. To put the question of whether the law should be repealed on the November ballot, petitioners will need to collect at least 40,120 signatures from registered voters, no more than 10,030 of which can come from a single county, in less than three months. Baker vetoed the bill on May 27, saying the Registry of Motor Vehicles did not have the capacity to verify the identities of immigrants without legal status and arguing that the bill "significantly increases the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote.". The House approved its version of the license access bill in February with a 120-36 vote, well above the number of representatives in support that would be needed to override a veto. When Massachusetts House and Senate leaders can get most or all of their Democrats on board behind a bill, their supermajority margins render the governor all but inconsequential to what becomes state law. A bill that would make undocumented immigrants eligible for Massachusetts driver's licenses, appears poised for passage this week after more than 20 years in the making. At least 16 states, including Connecticut and Vermont, allow residents to get a drivers license or permit regardless of immigration status, supporters say. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. But youve found it. The title of both bills An Act Relative To Work and Family Mobility During and Subsequent to the COVID-19 Emergency doesnt mention either drivers licenses or illegal immigrants. We always have," Baker told the crowd at a New England Council event. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Mass. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. Advocates renew push to license illegal immigrants. The poll was conducted from April 24 to April 28 and has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. Under the new law, someone in the country illegally would have to provide a passport or consular identification document to apply for a driver's license. MASSACHUSETTS The Massachusetts House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday that would allow undocumented immigrants to get state driver's licenses. The MIRA Coalition firmly opposes any and all efforts to repeal the Work and Family Mobility Act, said Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, in a call with GBH. He also said that Massachusetts cannot wait for Congress to offer protections for people who are in the country illegally. And that's basically and fundamentally what this bill is. |Products By, Advocates push for Mass. Senate overrides Baker veto: Undocumented immigrants will be able to get driver's licenses, With override, House moves Massachusetts closer to drivers licenses for unauthorized immigrants, Baker vetoes immigrant license access bill. McCraw said that Asian Americans were targeted in hopes of finding "look-a-likes" for undocumented immigrants of Asian descent. ". A long-debated proposal to expand driver's license access to undocumented immigrants took a major step Thursday toward becoming law, clearing the Massachusetts Senate with a strong enough margin to overcome the prospect of Gov. Our lives are safer when every single driver has to pass a road test, a vision test, and obtain insurance.. Listen Live: Classic and Contemporary Celtic, Listen Live: Cape, Coast and Islands NPR Station, The civil rights memorials that expose America's ugly history and warn of repeating the past, Boston Public Radio full show: March 1, 2023, No 'magic sleep button:' Separating sleep misinformation from facts on YouTube, Finding resilience in Black love, through good times and bad, At least 36 are dead in Greece after two trains collided. By 2019, 50,000 undocumented immigrants had taken written exams, vision tests, and road tests to get drivers licenses. The override was not the only display of political strength Democrats made this week. Baker vetoed the bill last month, saying in a letter to the House that it "undoes a critical safeguard to the driver's license issuance process" and that the Registry of Motor Vehicles doesn't have the expertise or ability to verify many types of documents from other countries. The conference committee that took months to produce an accord agreed to give prospective voters 10 more days before an election to register, but they opted against a Senate-approved policy allowing new voters to register and cast a ballot in one trip to the polls. Legislators have several more steps to complete before the bill can become state law. No. The original version of the bill was introduced almost 20 years ago, and multiple iterations have cropped up and failed, including one from then-state Rep. Marty Walsh in 2007, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Banking as an Undocumented Immigrant. The bill still requires approval by the Massachusetts Senate, also controlled by Democrats, before heading to Baker. House Democrats in Massachusetts have passed a controversial measure that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. In your inbox every Thursday morning. Tel: +86 20 81608506, Home We're talking about a situation now where, under the current statute as I understand it, all the rules associated with determining lawful presence are going to go away. Senators voted 10-29 to reject Fattman's amendment. Legislative leaders who steered the long-debated bill through the House and Senate said they have some worries about the prospect of a statewide campaign on the topic. Both Democratic candidates, Maura Healey and Sonia Chang-Daz, have voiced their support for the veto override. The bill, however, didnt gain Senate Appropriations Committee approval, which was needed because of the BMVs estimated $1.4 million cost to develop the new license. "That's democracy.". With override, House moves Massachusetts closer to drivers licenses for unauthorized immigrants, Baker vetoes immigrant license access bill. and last updated 9:36 AM, Nov 09, 2022. It prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles The Driving Families Forward coalition, which includes a range of civil rights, immigration reform and organized labor groups, praised the Senate's vote and called for Baker to sign the legislation, arguing it "provides all the safeguards necessary to answer any doubts he may has (sic) raised previously. Further, newly-licensed drivers are likely to generate an additional $5 million per year in tax revenue once the law is fully rolled out. Baker's Driver's License Bill Veto. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. However, states regulate who may receive a drivers license or identification card. Stay up to date with everything Boston. The Minnesota Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would allow illegal immigrants the ability to obtain a U.S. driver's license without requiring proof they are in the country lawfully. New to NewBostonPost? All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Massachusetts to allow illegal immigrants to apply for drivers The ability to apply for a drivers license is the number one issue for immigrant families, Barber added. APS ASSESSMENT: False. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. WebMIRA is proud to be part of the Driving Families Forward Coalition, which is advocating for the Work and Family Mobility Act). Geoff Diehl, a gubernatorial candidate for the state Republican Party, told media in a statement last week, this is a bad bill, and said he would support efforts to overturn in a ballot initiative. She was a reporter for CommonWealth Magazine, and senior immigration reporter for Law360. If approved, undocumented immigrants could only acquire standard drivers licenses but not federally authorized REAL ID-compliant versions. February 16, 2022 20 BOSTON (AP) The Massachusetts House approved a bill Wednesday that would let immigrants in the country illegally obtain state Join us. Notably, the news service reported, the bill would only allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a standard Massachusetts license, not a Real ID license, which will be required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal buildings about a year from now. It could also prevent undocumented immigrants from fleeing police during a traffic stop for the sake of preventing identification as an undocumented immigrant and risking deportation, supporters say, according to SHNS. As of 2016, there are about 250,000 undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts, according to a report from the American Immigration Council. But youve found it. 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The Massachusetts State House in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston. The campaign will have until Aug. 24 to submit signatures to local election officials for certification and until Sept. 7 to submit them to Secretary of State William Galvin's office. As a result, millions of voters will have no alternatives in the House and Senate if, say, they are frustrated by wherever their elected legislators land on tax relief, an area where the cloudy outlook has yet to give way to sunshine. "It sends the wrong message," Frost said. Phil Murphy in December 2019 after a long debate, allows for a standard drivers license to be issued to immigrants regardless of legal status. And this time they could actually pass. However, while the legislation is backed by some local and law enforcement leaders, critics say others have refrained from taking a stance on the issue. Lawmakers voted this week to override his veto of a bill that will allow illegal immigrants in the state to apply for a driver's license. Sixteen other states already allow undocumented immigrants to acquire licenses. She's covered politics, immigration, incarceration, and health for The Guardian, DigBoston, The Boston Globe, and The Associated Press. More than a dozen states allow undocumented immigrants to acquire some type of driver's license, though Baker said Monday he believes in most instances they offer a "driver's privilege card" and not a full license. The Massachusetts State Senate will debate whether undocumented immigrants should be able to get drivers licenses in formal session Thursday morning. Thats a problem, Baker said. Advocates and lawmakers are holding a ceremonial bill signing to mark the new law on Monday afternoon which will be going into effect without the signature of Gov. Booming inflation intertwining with a runaway-train housing market have created major struggles for voters, who appear more likely in new polling to have economic issues top of mind. Ninety-two representatives and 16 senators face neither a declared primary nor a general election opponent, essentially granting them a pleasant stroll into another two years in office with next to no campaigning required, no need to answer to their opponents, and none of those candidate debates and Q&A forums. I know that the economic purpose of immigration is to depress wages, Kropper said. And join the real revolution. WebLutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a champion for all uprooted people. Thats because the states Republican governor, Charlie Baker, opposes giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. Liwan District, Guangzhou,Guangdong (P.R.China) The bill could also act as a lure to those in the country illegally knowing they could get a drivers license in Massachusetts, said Republican Rep. Paul Frost, of Auburn. Migrants have faced a warm welcome but major challenges, like housing and education. Allowing undocumented immigrants to get around more easily would allow them to increase their earning potential and employers right now are having trouble recruiting qualified workers amid a time of record low unemployment in the state. Although news of a possible repeal effort spread last week, Baker on Monday said he is "not familiar with that process" when asked if he would support the referendum, adding that he "made pretty clear what my rationale was for vetoing the law.". State House News Service | This bill would enable all qualified state residents to apply for a standard state drivers license, regardless of immigrant status, while keeping our Commonwealth in full compliance with REAL ID requirements. The new law will allow immigrants without legal status to apply for a standard state drivers license beginning July 1, 2023. I am one of those who comes to the chamber concerned about some of the provisions before us, concerned because a drivers license is one of the most, if not the most, recognizable, important pieces of identification in our society, bar none, Bruce Tarr, the chambers minority leader, said at the start of the session, the news service reported. The measure is about being safe on the road, according to Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. The bill is now backed by the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs of Police and most Massachusetts sheriffs and district attorneys. The bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to get a driver's license in Massachusetts will now become law. This law provides driver's licenses to applicants who submit a valid foreign passport or consular identification and proof of residency, regardless of legal "But I think we've got enough interest to do it. Opioid overdose deaths reached a new high in 2021, according to data released this week, fueled in part by the widespread presence of fentanyl and the anguish imposed by the pandemic. The bill also states that immigrants eligible for the drivers licenses would not be registered to vote as a result. At least 16 states, including Connecticut and Vermont, allow residents to get a drivers license or permit regardless of immigration status, supporters say. House and Senate leaders will need to agree on final language to send to Baker's desk, which they could try to do informally senators previously said the changes they made before bringing the proposal to the floor were technical in nature or by appointing a conference committee. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), 2 victims of fatal Salem head-on crash identified, 79 years later, soldier killed in WWII to be buried in Maine, Police identify woman found dead in Merrimack River. WebThe state offers 2 types of licenses, 1 of which complies with the REAL ID law for those who can provide proof of lawful presence. Charlie Baker on the legislation. "It's never easy to collect signatures. Justice Kimberly S. Budd said leaders need to advocate for people who cant afford their own counsel. Critics of the measure have argued that drivers licenses are a privilege that should not be offered to those not in the country legally. It basically means, in some respects, the Registry is going to be flying blind with respect to what it issues when it issues these licenses. It will also make it possible for immigrants and refugees to go about their lives with more peace of mind, Sweet said. The licenses would not become available until July 1, 2023. A No vote on the question would repeal the law (H.4805) that is scheduled to make illegal immigrants eligible to obtain drivers licenses starting on July 1, 2023. All the fears and the arguments and the objections have fallen short, said Gonzalez. Outside of spending levels, the budget talks -- which opened with brief public remarks before moving into private -- will feature some significant policy decisions as well, including a Senate proposal to create new licensing protections for Massachusetts reproductive health and gender-affirming care providers who may face legal challenges originating in other states. Despite the overwhelming support from the Legislature, Massachusetts residents are split on allowing undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses, a recent poll showed. Charlie Baker and authorizing drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. Lawmakers have long considered drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. "Indeed, many of our policy chiefs support the bill as a public safety tool and agree that it will enable law enforcement to better identify individuals at traffic stops or scenes of an accident.". The deadline to file would be July 9, or within 30 days of the Senate overriding Gov. He said his amendments were rejected in a rush to move this bill forward. He said one of those addressed the design of the licenses which arent going to look any different from current licenses, and could cause problems with voter registration. Thank you for your support, but we can't have this in here.". RMV To Send More Than 50,000 New Licenses After Printing Error, Even After Investigation, Stoneham Cop Hasn't Paid Dime of Rent to New Landlord, Tracking the Next Hit of Wintry Weather Headed to New England, Due Late Week, Power Lines Crash Onto Cars, Trucks for Blocks in Stoneham; Cause Unknown, Rescuers Capture Bald Eagle Believed to Be Critically Sickened by Rat Poison. Fattman said local elections officials in his district had contacted him expressing concerns about the topic, and bill backers fired back that the state already has protections in place to prevent ineligible residents from registering to vote. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. The formal legislative session ends July 31. Undocumented immigrants will still Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. After implementing a similar law, Connecticut saw a reduction of hit-and run crashes, and a decline in the number of people found guilty of unlicensed driving, an investigation by the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting found. About 7% are undecided. Maloneys son was killed in 2011 by a drunk driver who did not have legal authorization to live in the United States. Both Maloney and Dube supported Diehl at last month's Republican convention in Springfield. In your inbox every Thursday morning. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Support GBH. Jun 24, 2021. The bill would also make it less likely for immigrants to leave the scene of an accident because they would face less of a threat of deportation with a drivers license, backers said. Oversee budget development for new programs within RIS and update budgets for existing programs. The votes were there to pass the bill and Democrats in both branches flexed their political muscles in a 24-hour span to cement the licensing bill as law by clearing the two thirds hurdle needed for a veto override. Attorney General Maura Healey implored Bay State employers to think about abortion laws, too, saying that heightened restrictions being put in place in other states could cost billions of dollars in productivity "because it actually affects whether women go to school, stay in school, join the workforce, stay in the workforce, contribute to our economy. A Boston Globe-Suffolk University poll of 800 Massachusetts residents published in the spring showed residents were divided on the issue. Lenny Mirra-vs.-Kristin Kassner State Rep Race One of Several Massachusetts Elections Decided By One Vote, ) before the Joint Committee on Transportation. Mass. "I consistently voted against this bill and I remain opposed to its passage into law.". "Today, the House took a significant step towards bringing all Massachusetts drivers under the same licensing and insurance standards, regardless of immigration status," House Speaker Ron Mariano said. Five Democrats joined the chamber's three Republicans in dissent, but backers still got more than enough favorable votes on record to signal the Senate would clear the two-thirds vote needed to override a potential veto. The bill may look simple, but the issue, as we know, is complicated, said Democratic state Rep. William Straus, co-chair of the Legislatures Joint Committee on Transportation. Baker voiced his concerns about the bill Thursday morning, SHNS reported. Legislators, who often wrap up work at the last minute or blow past deadlines altogether, faced pressure to finalize a bill soon with the Sept. 6 statewide primary less than three months away. Here's what we know. or redistributed. She was a reporter for CommonWealth Magazine, and senior immigration reporter for Law360. Proponents of the bill have touted it as beneficial for road safety, the news service reported, asserting that the approximately 185,000 undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts would be tested before driving. Opponents of undocumented drivers license bill point to potential for illegal voting. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. 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