(GoRealNewsNow.com) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, has just signed a bill into law that will allow over 80,000 people to apply for a driver’s license, regardless of their immigration status.
While many Republicans and conservatives are opposed, the bill, known as “driver’s licenses for all,” received support from diverse groups, including law enforcement, faith organizations, businesses, and immigrant rights activists. The supporters argue that the new law will improve public safety by ensuring all drivers are licensed, insured, and have completed driver’s education.
Eighteen other states in the United States already grant driver’s licenses to residents, regardless of their immigration status, as per the National Conference of State Legislatures.
This new law, which takes effect on October 1st, 2023, reverses a 2003 decision by then-Governor Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, who had barred people without legal status from obtaining licenses for security reasons following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
While applicants will still have to pass written and road tests and provide proof of their address in Minnesota, they will no longer be asked to prove their US citizenship or permanent residency status. Instead, they will be required to provide identifying documents, such as a foreign passport, a consular identification document with a photograph, or a certified birth certificate issued by a foreign jurisdiction.
Some critics have argued that eliminating the requirement to prove citizenship could create opportunities for voter fraud. However, Governor Walz has dismissed these concerns, stating that there has not been a single instance in the past 20 years of a driver’s license being used for illegal voting.
What is your opinion? Do you think illegal aliens should be allowed to obtain state driver’s licenses? Please share your view by emailing [email protected]. Thank you.
