REAL ID and TSA lines (Reuters/DC DMV)
The states, which stretch from New York and New Jersey to California and Washington state, changed their laws in order to allow illegal immigrants to drive freely to work, while also ensuring they meet driving skill requirements and could obtain car insurance to bolster road safety, various liberal lawmakers and immigrant advocacy groups said as they rallied support for the law changes.
"Expanding access to driver’s licenses is critical for the safety of New Jerseyans and a step toward building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all," New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, for example, said in 2019 after signing the Garden State's legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.
LEGAL IMMIGRANT OUTRAGED OVER MINNESOTA OFFERING DRIVER'S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
"Allowing residents the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status will decrease the number of uninsured drivers and increase safety on our roads. I thank my partners in the Legislature for sending this important bill to my desk," he added.
Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande are lined up for processing by Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
"I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries," Baker said at the time. "Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver's license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are."
Massachusetts ultimately allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver's licenses through a ballot initiative.
Domestic air travelers who are in the nation illegally are required to present a valid and up-to-date photo ID to board a flight, and can show documents such as a driver's license, a current foreign passport, a military ID or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Employment Authorization Card, and other forms of photo IDs, according to various immigrant advocacy groups.
SANCTUARY STATE'S 'GREEN LIGHT' LAW IS RED FLAG FOR AMERICANS' SAFETY, NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERTS
The Trump administration, which has been on an illegal immigration deportation blitz, revealed in a memo last week that the REAL ID requirement will further crack down on illegal aliens moving freely around the country.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (Reuters)
President Donald Trump, under his first administration, pushed back the REAL ID October 2020 deadline as the pandemic raged. The Biden administration's DHS established the May 7, 2025, deadline in 2022.
Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, told Fox News Digital in a statement last week: "REAL IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. 81% of air travelers hold REAL ID-compliant or acceptable IDs. DHS will continue to collaborate with state, local, and airport authorities to inform the public, facilitate compliance, curb wait times and prevent fraud."
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"DHS responds to official correspondence through official channels," McLaughlin added.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blue-states-rallied-illegal-immigrants-obtain-drivers-licenses-ahead-trumps-real-id-crackdown