A Dallas-Fort Worth State Representative has reintroduced legislation to give undocumented immigrants driving permits, arguing it will increase public safety.
During a live interview on Inside Texas Politics, state Rep. Ramon Romero said they are thinking about the police officer who might pull the person over in the future.
“What is their life like? What is their initial reaction when someone says I don’t have a driver’s license and I really can’t identify myself? I think that’s a public safety issue,” Romero said.
HB 1058 would give undocumented immigrants access to the driver’s education course, however, not the test.
The introduced bill says the department may issue a Texas conditional driver’s license to someone who is not able to present US citizen and immigration documents “authorizing the person to be in the United States.”
Romero said Texas construction workers helped drive Texas’ economy throughout the pandemic.
“Essential workers have kept us going at great risk to themselves. A lot of those folks are these exact same folks that haven’t been able to identify,” Romero said. “This is a public safety issue. I’ve talked to him about it. He seems open to the idea of at least hearing it again, making sure it gets heard.”
Click here to view HB 1058 to its fullest.
There are currently 15 other states in the US authorizing unauthorized immigrants’ access to a driver’s license. The states allowing this access include:
- California;
- Colorado;
- Connecticut;
- Delaware;
- Hawaii;
- Illinois;
- Maryland;
- Nevada;
- New Jersey;
- New Mexico;
- New York;
- Oregon;
- Utah;
- Vermont; and
- Washington.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as long as an applicant can provide ID — such as a foreign birth certificate, passport, or consular card and evidence of current state residency — these states will issue them a driver’s license.
Romero has previously tried passing this legislation but was unsuccessful.
Photo: Rep. Ramon Romero social media
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