Minnesota is set to give nearly 81,000 unauthorized migrants the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses starting next month, the state’s Department of Public Safety announced.
The state’s “Driver’s License for All” initiative is set to commence on October 1, as formally revealed during a news conference on Thursday.
“We’ll be able to start taking applications for driver’s licenses for all Minnesotans, including those who don’t have lawful presence in the United States,” said Pong Xiong, director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services.
The Department of Public Safety explains that it will not require proof of residence for the state IDs.
With the implementation of DL4All less than a month away, the time is now to get ready to get your license. Our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division has to help you navigate the process — which will be the same for everyone, regardless of immigration status — after Oct. 1.
The first thing you need to do is study the rules of the road, found on DVS’s . Specifically, you need to read the Class D Driver’s manual, which is available in several languages.
Next, gather your paperwork. After Oct. 1, Minnesota will no longer require proof of legal presence; however, you will need to provide proof of your identity with documents either in English or translated into English. DVS has a list of .
It is illegal to be in the territory of the United States without having submitted approved documentation to begin the process for immigration or asylum.
“Whether it’s by crossing the U.S. border with a ‘coyote’ or buying a fake U.S. passport, a foreign national who enters the U.S. illegally can be both convicted of a crime and held responsible for a civil violation under the U.S. immigration laws,” the legal site AllLaw points out. “Illegal entry also carries consequences for anyone who might later attempt to apply for a green card or other immigration benefit.”
“The penalties and consequences get progressively more severe if a person enters the United States illegally more than once, or enters illegally after a final order of removal (deportation) or after having been convicted of an aggravated felony,” the site adds.
Thus, Minnesota is aiding and abetting illegal behavior under United States immigration law.
According to the Minnesota Secretary of State, in order to vote in state and federal elections, one must be: A U.S. citizen; at least 18 years old on Election Day; a resident of Minnesota for 20 days; and not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.
However, in order to “register online” to vote, one will need: a “Minnesota driver’s license or Minnesota identification card number, or the last four numbers of your Social Security number.”
It is a felony under U.S. law to submit fraudulent documentation in order to vote in elections, which can lead to fines and imprisonment.
Minnesota has a relatively high number of unauthorized migrants. Most of Minnesota’s illegal migrants come from Mexico and Central America, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.
Minnesota hosts a higher number of illegal migrants compared to approximately half of the figures reported in other individual states and Washington, DC, as indicated by data from the Migration Policy Institute. Furthermore, the majority of Minnesota’s undocumented immigrant population originates from “Mexico and Central America.”
As per the findings of the institute, “California boasts the largest population of undocumented immigrants in the United States, surpassing 2.7 million.”
Both Minnesota and California are part of a group of “19 states, along with DC,” that have implemented legislation enabling undocumented immigrants to acquire “driver’s licenses,” as confirmed by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
