State lawmakers will consider legislation next year to allow undocumented immigrants to drive in Delaware.
A task force led by Sen. Bryan Townsend (D-Newark) recommends a bill requiring applicants to submit two years of state tax returns and meet all other typical requirements for a standard driver’s license to obtain a 'driver privilege card'. It could not be used as an official form of identification.
Townsend says requiring tax returns is a move to combat those simply looking for a legal way to drive in the US.
“It really makes sure that someone is who they say they are. Also, probably more accurately, it’s part of a way to not become a state that people would flock to simply to obtain these cards,” said Townsend.
One sticking point may be over requiring applicants to hand over finger prints to law enforcement.
Latino community leaders argue it’ll keep people in the shadows, while police say it’s needed to crosscheck criminal databases for those with active warrants. Law enforcement officials say they won’t support any initiative without that condition.
The task force also recommended legislation not allowing the states to use any submitted information in an unrelated way.
Early task force meetings focused in part on insuring undocumented immigrants who are driving. Company lobbyists say foreign driving records are hard to validate and many applicants would be classified as new drivers – the same as a teenager.
When asked if he’s concerned that insurance requirements could be cost prohibitive, Townsend says not all in the undocumented community are low income and that it’s a broader issue than some think.
“If we want this task force and the product of it to increase public safety as much as possible – including higher levels of insurance by Delaware motorists – that might be a separate topic to take a look at beyond the issue of whether someone is undocumented,” Townsend said.
Townsend says he plans to introduce legislation to implement the system this coming year.
