Minnesota Set to Allow 81,000 Illegal Immigrants to Obtain Driver's Licenses

Minnesota will soon allow an estimated 81,000 illegal immigrants living in the state to receive a driver’s license, when the state’s “Driver’s Licenses for All” law goes into effect at the beginning of October.

Driver’s Licenses for All was signed into Minnesota law by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz in March.

“Ensuring drivers in our state are licensed and carry insurance makes the roads safer for all Minnesotans,” Gov. Walz said in a March press release. “As a longtime supporter of this bill, I am proud to finally sign it into law, making our roads safer and moving us toward our goal of making Minnesota the best state to raise a family for everyone.”

“With an estimated 81,000 undocumented immigrants in Minnesota, the bill will increase safety across Minnesota by ensuring that all drivers are licensed, insured, and have taken driver’s education courses,” the release stated.

The law will make the process of obtaining a Minnesota driver’s license the same for all state residents, regardless of immigration status.

After Oct. 1, applicants for a driver’s license will no longer need to require proof of their legal presence in the United States.

However, applicants will need to provide proof of their identity with documents either in English or translated into English, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The estimated 81,000 unauthorized migrants will be able to take the written learner’s permit test in any language, and can bring their own interpreter to the test — who must already have Minnesota license.

Applicants under the age of 18 have to practice for six months before becoming eligible to take the road test and obtain their license, but those over 18 only require three months of practice prior to the test.

The vehicle which applicants bring to the road test must be in “safe working condition” and insured, however the insurance does not have to be in the applicant’s name.

Minnesota will join 19 other states and Washington D.C. that have passed similar laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

A new Massachusetts law called the “Work and Family Mobility Act” went into effect in July that allows immigrants without legal status in the U.S. to apply for driver’s licenses.

Massachusetts has an estimated unauthorized migrant population of 209,000, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Those migrants who are able to obtain a driver’s license in Massachusetts could use that license as proof of identification to help obtain a Maine driver’s license.

While the State of Maine does not allow unauthorized migrants to obtain driver’s licenses, non-citizens who provide proof of legal presence in the U.S. may obtain a license.

According to the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, asylum seekers who have been granted temporary or limited legal presence in the U.S., or who have a pending application to register for permanent residence, are eligible to receive a Maine driver’s license.