Illegal Immigrants Allegedly Fleeing Florida After New Driver's License Law Goes Into Effect

By streiff
6:29 PM on July 04, 2023

Friday, a commonsense law passed by the Florida legislature that ends recognition of driver’s licenses issued to illegal aliens by other states went into effect.

This law is part of a package of laws passed by the Florida legislature that was enacted as a reaction to Joe Biden’s refusal to react to the illegal immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border. The bill, known as SB1718, in addition to the driver’s license provisions, imposes penalties on businesses that knowingly hire illegals and requires hospitals that accept Medicaid (edited) to ask about citizenship status. The bill also allocates $12 million to transport illegals to other, more welcoming states despite the bizarre “kidnapping” allegations hurled at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by the left.

Currently, 18 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico issue driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.

  1. California
  2. Colorado
  3. Connecticut
  4. Delaware
  5. Hawaii
  6. Illinois
  7. Maryland
  8. Massachusetts
  9. Minnesota
  10. Nevada
  11. New Jersey
  12. New Mexico
  13. New York
  14. Oregon
  15. Utah
  16. Vermont
  17. Virginia
  18. Washington

The laws granting illegals a driver’s license vary from state to state. Some states issue a special license that specifies it is not proof of identification. Others, like New Jersey, make no such arrangement.

The law mandates two types of documents. One is the Real ID under federal guidelines, and the other is a standard driver’s license that any New Jersey resident can obtain without discrimination based on immigration status. It is also prohibited to disclose the personal information of those who have the standard driver’s license for immigration-related purposes unless there is authorization from the individual.

Most states — I think it is accurate to say “all,” but I’ll stick with “most” — that issue driver’s licenses to illegals do not necessarily require a driving test. They just require some sort of proof that the person was allowed to drive in whatever country they are absconding from.

According to CBS News, this law that keeps unqualified drivers off the road is “controversial.”

“We are hearing people are starting to leave,” Yvette Cruz with the Farmworkers Association of Florida told CBS News of reports of migrant workers abandoning fields and construction projects. “We’re just gonna keep seeing that more as the law will take effect.”

https://redstate.com/streiff/2023/07/04/illegal-immigrants-allegedly-fleeing-florida-after-new-drivers-license-law-goes-into-effect-n771118