PROVIDENCE – The General Assembly approved legislation Wednesday night that would allow undocumented Rhode Islanders to obtain driving privileges.
Once Gov. Daniel J. McKee signs the bill that cleared the House into law, the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles will issue driving privilege cards and driving privilege permits to state residents who can’t prove they are living in the United States lawfully. The Senate passed a bill last month.
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State Rep. Karen Alzate, D-Pawtucket, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the privilege cards will “definitely cut down on the fear” for those living in the state undocumented.
“They’re in the shadows. We see our undocumented community and it’s going to affect so many people in a positive way,” Alzate said. “This is the first step in helping people feel more secure. It will help them go about their day and not worry as much.”
To qualify for a driving privilege card, an undocumented citizen of driving age must have filed an income tax return in the prior tax year or been claimed as a dependent by a person who has filed a return. They also must have two proof of identity documents as well as two proof of residency documents. Finally, they must not be in violation of insurance laws.
The driving privilege cards can’t be used to prove citizenship nor used for other citizen rights, such as voting.
“I’m against the law. I think that people who want to come to the United States should do so legally. We have to be a country of laws,” said State Rep. Patrica L. Morgan, R-West Warwick.
Morgan said the bill’s language is presently unclear. She’s concerned the driving privilege card and a standard license for a citizen would be “identical,” adding one may successfully vote using a privilege card as identification.
“How is a voting official supposed to tell the difference?,” Morgan said. “Foreign nationals of all kinds live in Rhode Island, but they are foreign nationals. If the governor signs this bill without a change, he is complicit.”
Alzate downplayed Morgan’s concerns about voting.
“That’s a terrible narrative and not a real narrative,” said Alzate. “Poll workers are trained and they know who is eligible to vote.”
Alzate said that the color and appearance of the new privilege cards should not look dramatically different for a standard license.
“People are getting these privilege cards, but they don’t want to stand out,” Alzate said.
(Update: photo caption updated)
Morgan’s concerns about these illegal alien “licenses” are completely justified. They should look nothing like a bona fide RI license. Why make poll workers jobs any tougher than they are?
Alzate never should have been elected.
Why are we concerned about making illegal aliens more secure? As a life long legal RIer, I’m more concerned about making our legitimate legal citizens more secure. The illegal aliens should be concerned about becoming legal citizens and not driver permits.