Florida bill would allow illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses

A bill that was recently filed in Florida's House and Senate would allow people to get driver's licenses regardless of their immigration status in the U.S. (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

A bill that was recently filed in Florida's House and Senate would allow people to get driver's licenses regardless of their immigration status.

Proposed in the Florida Legislature last month, the bill would let illegal immigrants use identifying documents like an unexpired foreign passport or a foreign birth certificate to get a license to drive.

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Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani, who sponsored the House bill, said she believes this legislation "helps to build that trust" with those who are considered "marginalized" in the state, and said it would make roads safer, according to the News Service of Florida.

“It doesn’t matter your immigration status. If you are on the roads, you should have access to a driver’s test and the ability to get car insurance," Democratic Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez said.

The Florida Immigrant Coalition stated in a news release that allowing people without proper immigration documentation the ability to obtain a driver's license would "[cement] trust in law enforcement while protecting vulnerable communities."

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The group says that Florida drivers would experience lower insurance premiums and safer roads, and a potential increase of $4 million in state revenue "if 75 percent of Floridians currently denied licenses due to their immigration status were able to receive a driver’s license."

Those seeking a license in Florida under current state law must prove they're U.S. citizens or resident aliens, the news service reported.