Bill closes dangerous loophole by requiring verification of legal status

WASHINGTON – Individuals who enter and reside in the United States illegally should not be issued a state driver’s license, U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said today.

“It seems pretty simple to me,” Barrasso said. “We won’t truly be serious about securing our borders and stopping illegal immigration until we stop the practice of issuing driver’s licenses to the very individuals who are breaking our laws.”

Barrasso today introduced legislation that would discourage those few states that currently issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants by withholding 10 percent of federal highways funds.

The bill essentially closes a dangerous loophole and sends a tough message to those states that want to give illegal immigrants the ability to apply for and receive a driver’s license despite the fact they are in the country illegally, Barrasso said.

Wyoming does not issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

“Securing our borders is a chief responsibility of the federal government along with protecting the homeland,” Barrasso said. “I think it is time we stopped the practice of issuing official licenses to illegal immigrants.”

Under Barrasso’s bill, states must verify that each driver’s license applicant is here legally. The bill, S. 2334, would redistribute the withheld funds to states that follow the law.

While the federal government has imposed sanctions on states in the past for not implementing federal policies on the drinking age, seat belts, speed limits (repealed), and open containers, these issues were not a matter of national security.

Wyoming already complies with these proposals, Barrasso said.  Furthermore, Wyoming could gain more highway dollars with the enactment of the bill.

“More importantly though we are closing a loophole in the law that allows law breakers to gain a level of legal identification when none is deserved,” Barrasso said.

In 1998, Wyoming required Social Security Number (SSN) verification in order for a driver’s license to be issued. A year later, Wyoming signed up to participate in the Social Security Online Verification System (SSOLV) which verifies immigration status information they need in order to determine a non-citizen applicant’s eligibility for many public benefits.

Wyoming Driving License Issuance:

Wyoming ’s driver license issuance procedures are very secure and on solid ground compared with other states that lack the controls to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining licenses.

– Legal Presence:  Wyoming requires Lawful Presence by verifying the immigration status of licensee applicants through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program (SAVE);

– Visa Expiration:  Wyoming requires licenses to expire upon the expiration of a temporary visa;

– Biometric Data:  Wyoming requires a photo on all licenses; and,

– Verification of Social Security Number:  Wyoming requires Social Security Numbers to be checked against the SSA Social Security Online Verification System (SSOLV).

 

Text of S.2334