First-time applicants will not be granted their driver’s license in the state of Michigan unless they will be able to prove they are legal, permanent U.S. citizens, Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land announced on Monday. The ruling will take effect on Tuesday, and will make no exceptions.
Illegal immigrants will not have the right to a driver’s license anymore, a rule available for most states in the U.S., except for Washington, Utah, Oregon, New Mexico, Maryland, Maine and Hawaii. The discussion on whether to allow students or temporary workers the right to get their licenses is still pending.
In a press conference held on Monday, Land said: “If you are not here legally or permanently, then we will not issue a driver’s license. From now on, we will not accept foreign birth certificates, just passports. No matter who comes in, they will have to go through the proper process, and our anti-fraud department will go over documents.”
In the upcoming weeks, the legislation regarding the renewal of driver’s license or identification cards will also be unveiled. Land sees the process as a way of securing the Michigan borders and a way to be in line with the other states that already adopted the law.
For the first time applicants, the following documentation will be necessary: valid Social Security number or official letter of ineligibility for one, legal and permanent presence in the United States, legal name ad date of birth and of course, Michigan residency.
In September 2001 the Spitzer proposal to allow illegal immigrants to be issued driver’s licenses raised started waves of controversial discussions and criticism, and ended by being named “inappropriate”. Weeks later the State Senate voted against his proposal. The current number of applications for driver’s licenses account for less than 5% of the total number of requests.