‘Rogue states’ risk federal funding for illegal immigrant driver’s licenses

EXCLUSIVE: A new Republican congressional proposal aims to close loopholes for illegal immigrants able to get driving privileges in some states.

Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, chair of the House Budget Committee, introduced the “Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act,” as there is renewed attention on the issue following a deadly Florida truck crash, in which an illegal immigrant from India allegedly struck and killed three people, and did not pass English proficiency or road sign tests from federal investigators.

“Far-left sanctuary states that issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants are not only breaking the laws of our land, they endanger families and law-abiding Americans who take to our highways every day. These lawless states must be stopped,” Arrington said. Nineteen states, along with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, currently allow some form of driver’s licenses for people regardless of their legal status.

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Connecticut offers a “drive-only license” for those who are “unable to establish lawful presence in the United States,” according to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Specifically, the legislation would nix the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for states who give out licenses to illegal immigrants. The Department of Justice is a key federal funding source for local and state law enforcement and other justice system entities. The proposal would also prompt state and local governments to provide information to the Department of Homeland Security if it is requested for immigration purposes.

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“My Stop Greenlighting Driver Licenses for Illegal Immigrants Act will bar rogue states from issuing licenses to illegal immigrants and force states and localities to cooperate fully with federal immigration enforcement so we can put the safety and security of Americans first,” Arrington continued.

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Commercial driver’s licenses generally involve a stricter process than standard licenses. Still, the Florida case raised questions about how the suspect, Harjinder Singh, was able to obtain a CDL in Washington state and later in California. California officials said they followed federal law because Singh held a work permit.

Fox News Digital reported that the Department of Homeland Security is highlighting recent arrests of illegal immigrants in serious car crash cases.

“It seems to be almost a daily occurrence where an illegal alien driving kills innocent Americans,” Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement last week. 

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“All of these deaths are preventable because these illegal aliens should have never been in our country,” she added.

Following the Florida incident, the Department of Transportation gave California, New Mexico, and Washington state a 30-day deadline to come into compliance with federal regulations for CDLs, and California and New Mexico told Fox News Digital they believe they are already in alignment.