The bill still requires approval by the Massachusetts Senate, also controlled by Democrats, before heading to Baker. They will also have to provide one of five additional documents: a drivers license from another U.S. state or territory; a birth certificate; a foreign national identification card; a foreign drivers license; or a marriage certificate or divorce decree from any U.S. state or territory. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. They made their voices heard on Wednesday afternoon. the bill would go into effect on July 1, 2023, and could help an estimated 78,000 people in Massachusetts apply for a standard Massachusetts drivers license, Please join us as we make a difference in the lives of newcomers. Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com. WebMIRA is proud to be part of the Driving Families Forward Coalition, which is advocating for the Work and Family Mobility Act). The bill also states that immigrants eligible for the drivers licenses would not be registered to vote as a result. Support GBH. Road safety and immigration reform advocates spent years unsuccessfully pressing lawmakers to act, arguing that expanding license access would ensure undocumented immigrants who already live in Massachusetts are properly tested before getting on the road and rein in their fears of law enforcement entanglement. 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. Dongpeng Debao Commercial Center. The bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to get a driver's license in Massachusetts will now become law. Activists demanding Massachusetts lawmakers override Gov. Lawmakers have long considered drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. On Thursday, Crighton said, On the issue of voting, weve debunked it again and again, and again.. We also worked closely with the district attorneys who have seen these cases and seen people who are only going to court because they cant get a license.. In a 120 to 36 vote, the The Massachusetts House approved a bill Wednesday that would let immigrants in the country illegally obtain state drivers licenses. Baker on Monday said his administration would "start the process of implementing it pretty much immediately.". Immigrants are being squeezed under kitchen tables, into church basements and into shelters, they say. 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.. The law specifically mandates that the state Registrar of Motor Vehicles develop procedures and regulations to ensure that license ", Chris Doughty, who is also running for governor as a Republican, circulated a petition on his campaign website in the wake of the override slamming the move and calling for voters to "tell the Legislature right now that you are AGAINST this decision.". |Products 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.". The bill thwarts the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in their efforts for investigations into illegal immigration and crime.. 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. At My Undocumented Life we provide up-to-date information and resources for undocumented immigrants and allies. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Forty-seven percent said they opposed the drivers license bill, and 46 percent supported it, with 7 percent unsure. 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. She said the benefits of allowing individuals to apply for a drivers license regardless of immigration status will become quickly apparent. It will also require all drivers to take a driving test and enroll in auto insurance, which will benefit the state financially. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Sixteen other states already have laws on the books allowing undocumented immigrants to acquire licenses, Crighton told his colleagues. Charlie Baker delivers his state of the state address Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, in the House Chamber at the Statehouse, in Boston. Opponents of a new law that will allow immigrants without legal status to seek driver's licenses took a preliminary step Monday toward asking voters to scrap the measure, while Democrats celebrated their success in pushing the bill and overcoming Gov. Not to mention, drivers with licenses are better equipped to obtain car insurance. 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 "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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "And everyone deserves to feel safe and get to work, pick up children and be a part of their communities without fear. Please join us as we make a difference in the lives of newcomers. Are we asking them to become experts in foreign documentation and forgery detection? Whelan said. 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. |News Even Baker, who argued that allowing immigrants without legal status to apply for standard driver's licenses could spiral into ineligible residents registering to vote, accepted that he was fighting a losing battle. 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. Sign up for the GBH News Politics email newsletter, featuring complete local politics coverage along with insights from our team of political reporters. I know that the economic purpose of immigration is to depress wages, Kropper said. 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. "There were a lot of people who wanted to put a January 1 implementation date on this, and he said 'no, there's no way the state could possibly be ready to do this in January,' and he made it in July," Baker said. "In addition to increasing safety on our roads for all drivers, this legislation recognizes the essential role our immigrant neighbors play in our society and economy by ensuring that everyone has access to a drivers license. "We still need to do something like that if we really want to get our arms around this.". Immigration reform advocates and some public safety leaders have pressed, often loudly, for more than a decade to grant residents without legal status in the U.S. some form of access to driver's licenses. Critics contend it could have negative impacts on public safety and could threaten the electoral process. or redistributed. Maloneys son was killed in 2011 by a drunk driver who did not have legal authorization to live in the United States. In an event that Granting drivers licenses to illegal immigration is the wrong approach, he said. The calendar could shape the dynamics at play there. |Profile I do not think that we should be rewarding people for being in the country illegally, Maloney said in a phone interview. This is what I keep hearing from my district every time I talk about this issue. Democrat Sens. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. DUTIES. 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. In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area. If the committee collects 40,120 certified signatures by Aug. 24 for a local election official to certify, and then file with the Secretary of States office by Sept. 7, the question can go on the November 2022 ballot. With respect to our Congressional delegation, whos fighting the good fight, do we really think that Congress is going to find consensus on meaningful immigration reform anytime soon?. As of 2016, there are about 250,000 undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts, according to a report from the American Immigration Council. New to NewBostonPost? "They changed the argument, they changed the debate -- you changed the debate," Mariano said, referring to advocates in the audience, "and made it into a public safety issue. REP. GOODEN INTRODUCES BILL TO EXPAND USE OF BIOMETRICS TO IDENTIFY MIGRANTS COMING ACROSS SOUTHERN BORDER, Massachusetts Gov. WebLutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a champion for all uprooted people. But youve found it. The intention would be to put the question to voters on the November 2022 ballot. He also said that Massachusetts cannot wait for Congress to offer protections for people who are in the country illegally. Both chambers are controlled by Democrats. 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. While the legislation has now cleared both chambers with more than three-quarters of elected lawmakers in support, Bay Staters in general are nearly evenly split Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Nick Collins of Boston, Anne Gobi of Spencer, Marc Pacheco of Taunton, Walter Timilty of Milton, and John Velis of Westfield voted against the bill, joining the Senates three Republicans, SHNS reported. The Senate voted 32-8 Thursday. "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. 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