Driver's Licenses For All
Why House File 4’s passage means so much to Minnesotans
By Ella Tracy
On Monday, Jan. 30, the Minnesota House of Representatives followed 18 states in passing legislation that allows any Minnesota resident to apply for a driver’s license without providing proof of United States citizenship. House File 4, the bill in question, will allow Minnesota’s more than 81,000 undocumented immigrants to legally drive.
Those without U.S. citizenship haven’t always been restricted from receiving a driver’s license. In a climate of anti-immigrant hate following 9-11, former governor Tim Pawlenty enacted legislation in 2003 that required proof of U.S. citizenship to receive a driver’s license. Thousands of undocumented immigrants in Minnesota were left without the ability to obtain a driver’s license.
Twenty years later, advocates gathered in the capitol rotunda and urged legislators to pass the Driver’s Licenses For All bill. I could hear chants of “What do we want? Driver’s licenses! When do we want them? NOW” before I entered the capitol proper. Individuals shared stories of struggle to the gathered crowds. Aztec dancers and drummers performed in the rotunda, their calls following me as I walked up the steps to the House floor. The heartbeat of the people – of the movement – echoed through every hall of the Capitol, reminding legislators of their duty to the citizens of Minnesota, even as they discussed and voted on a critical piece of legislation.
Aztec dancers performing in the Capitol rotunda.
I was able to speak with several advocates during the rally. Becky Valencia, an advocate with Communities Organizing Latinx Power and Action (COPAL), told me about the importance of universal driver’s licenses so that people can drive to work, to school and to get groceries.
“I’m the daughter of immigrant parents,” Valencia said. “A big importance is them being able to do a daily routine. For example, simply going to work.” During her early education, Valencia wasn’t able to participate in many school activities because her parents couldn’t legally drive. She never played sports and had to borrow rides to attend school concerts. Now that Valencia has a license, her parents rely on her to drive them to doctor’s appointments and community events, even though she lives an hour away to attend college.
Having a driver’s license means so much more than just legally driving. Josehina Flandes, an advocate for universal driver’s licenses since 2008, told me how a banker put a hold on a check she deposited because she could not provide an identification besides her passport. Flandes spoke to the fear she feels when she spots a police officer behind her, or her shame when she cannot provide identification. “When I have my driver’s license, I’m going to be so proud!” Flandes said. “I’m going to show everybody! I’m not going to be afraid if there are police officers behind me. … To have a driver license is not just for driving. It’s for everything. It’s for showing who you are.”
Chief authors Representative Aisha Gomez and Representative María Isa Pérez-Vega spoke during the House session, informing fellow representatives that the bill will greatly expand transit options for those living in Greater Minnesota and provide access to car insurance. For Representative Gomez, passing this bill is about “human dignity and the well-being of all Minnesota families and children.” Representative Pérez-Vega said this bill means caring for humanity. “We need respect from our systems to actually work for us and not against us,” Pérez-Vega said.
The bill is currently being debated in Minnesota Senate committees. If passed by the Senate, the bill will go to Governor Tim Walz to be signed into law. You can track the bill’s progress on the MN House website here.
