Secretary of state backs proposal allowing noncitizens to receive standard driver’s licenses
By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House advanced a measure last week that would allow noncitizen residents who are currently eligible for a “temporary visitor driver’s license” to instead obtain a “standard” driver’s license that can be used as identification.
Lawmakers created the temporary visitor driver’s license, or TVDL, in 2013 to ensure all drivers on state roads have passed a road test regardless of legal residency. It is available to individuals who have lived in the state for over one year, do not have a social security number, and may or may not have government documentation authorizing their presence in the United States.
To receive one, the individual must provide their U.S. immigration documentation or, if they don’t have that, a passport or consular card. They must also prove they have automobile insurance.
According to the secretary of state’s office, more than 300,000 people currently have a TVDL. Under the bill, these would remain valid driver’s licenses but the secretary of state would no longer issue new ones.
While the TVDL is valid as a driver’s license, it was never valid as identification. The card contains a purple line with the letters “TVDL,” and the phrase “Not Valid for Identification.”
That’s something immigrant rights activists said makes it difficult for the cardholder to do anything from pick up a prescription to buy alcohol. Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, D-Chicago, said in floor debate that some businesses decline to accept the TVDL as identification even when paired with identification from the individual’s native country.
Applicants for a standard driver’s license would be required to follow the same process as applying for a TVDL, but the license they receive would be the same as one issued to any other Illinoisan whose ID does not comply with federal REAL ID guidelines.
REAL ID requirements are scheduled to go into effect in Illinois in May 2025, and they require stricter identification such as a birth certificate and social security number to obtain one. The IDs are used for purposes such as air travel and visiting military bases and secure federal facilities.
Standard licenses contain the words “Federal Limits Apply,” but they are otherwise valid as both a driver’s license and ID card.
The measure, House Bill 3882, has support from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
“This legislation will make our roads safer and protects immigrants who are legally able to drive,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “As with all drivers, immigrants who drive in Illinois must prove they are safe, capable motorists in order to earn the standard driver’s license.”
The legislation’s backers say it was motivated by the fact that those carrying a TVDL sometimes face discrimination because of the purple bar on the card. Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is the lead sponsor of HB 3882.
“My parents were undocumented for 21 years,” she said. “…My parents would have wished years ago that they could have a driver license. Today we’re updating those driver licenses to turn them more standardized, to stop discrimination.”
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, characterized the bill as an attempt to “hide” a person’s status.
“I think the reality is we’re trying to turn undocumented individuals into documented individuals,” he said. “We have individuals who have come here outside of the legal process, and I know the legal process is broken. So why don’t we work on encouraging the federal government to actually do something to fix a broken system, instead of hiding the fact that it’s broken.”
Rep Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero, noted that the TVDL is not only granted to individuals without legal residency status but also “those who are here legally from a foreign country temporarily.”
“The premise behind the temporary driver’s license was to allow individuals who are undocumented to be able to drive the road safely so that they can take their kids to school, so they can go to the grocery store, so they can go to work,” she said. “Unfortunately, over time, the purple ID has been viewed and recognized as a driver’s license for the undocumented which is simply untrue.”
Republican Rep. Dan Caulkins, of Decatur, questioned whether making TVDL holders eligible for a standard license would create a system that’s ripe for voter fraud, since Illinoisans can register on the day of an election with a license and other identification.
Henry Haupt, a spokesperson for Giannoulias, said safeguards would remain in place to prevent ineligible individuals from being registered to vote. Under the current registration process, he said, a registrar “should never rely on a driver’s license as proof of citizenship.”
He noted anyone registering to vote must attest to their citizenship.
“While election officials ask to see identification when an applicant registers to vote, it is for the purpose of identifying the applicant, not proof of citizenship,” he said in an email. “The voter application form completed by the applicant requires the applicant to swear or affirm U.S citizenship.”
Haupt said the automatic voter registration process would not change under the bill.
“Applicants will still present the same documents as they did under the TVDL program, such as a foreign passport or consular identification card,” he said. “Those documents will alert secretary of state facility employees that the applicant is not a U.S. citizen and therefore voter registration will not be offered.”
Noncitizens will also be coded in the secretary of state’s system differently than citizens, Haupt said, and the program won’t allow for voter registration in that instance.
The bill also exempts a license application from entering the automatic voter registration process if there is no social security number associated with it.
The bill would also prohibit the use of driver’s license data for immigration enforcement purposes unless immigration agents provide a court-issued warrant, order or subpoena for the information.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide, as well as hundreds of radio and TV stations. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…
Palos Heights recognizes volunteers
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights handed out awards last week recognizing the services provided by volunteers through the years. The proclamations, which were read aloud during the city council meeting April 16, were a testament to the city’s volunteers and were handed out as part of Volunteer Recognition Week. Volunteers were cited for…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…
SD218 puts on annual Arts Extravaganza
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The arts have become a major portion of the curriculum Community High School District 218. Showcasing those many talents, the Friends of CHSD 218’s Education Foundation proudly hosted its 15th annual Arts Extravaganza on April 5 at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. “The Arts Extravaganza is a great event…
Gaming licenses to be tougher to get in Orland Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva It’s going to take longer to receive gaming licenses in Orland Park. The village board passed an ordinance April 15 that would allow table service businesses open at least 36 consecutive months to apply rather than the previous 18 months, and extended the probationary period to 18 months instead of…
Neighbors
Baseball | Marist claws way back to .500
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent This season has thus far not been what Marist had expected, but the RedHawks came into this week at .500. Marist was 2-8 after 10 games this season, with three of those first eight losses coming via shutout. But the RedHawks turned things around with a stretch of eight…
Red Stars fall to Spirit for third loss in past four matches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent After enjoying one of their best starts in franchise history, the Chicago Red Stars have slid to the middle of the NWSL standings, with the latest setback being a 4-2 loss to Washington at SeatGeek Stadium. The Stars (3-3-1) entered this week having dropped three of their past four…
Red Stars take aim at NWSL attendance record with Wrigley game
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are thinking big when it comes to their upcoming game at Wrigley Field. The team is taking aim at the NWSL record for single-game attendance when it hosts Bay FC at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs on June 8. The record is held…
IHSA announces boys volleyball postseason assignments
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year, the area sent a pair of boys volleyball teams to state as Lyons finished runner-up to champion Glenbard South and Brother Rice lost in the quarterfinals. This year, both could face each other in the sectional finals. The Lions picked up the second seed and the Crusaders…
Badminton players from Reavis and Lyons going to state
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Reavis singles player Dania Amjad finished third in the Bolingbrook Sectional on May 2 to qualify for the IHSA state tournament. The Lyons doubles team of Simone Brown and Mia Graziano finished fourth in the York Sectional to qualify for state. The state finals are May 10-11 at DeKalb…
Brother Rice, Sandburg sending boats to bash fishing state tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Brother Rice is sending two boats to the IHSA state bass fishing tournament. The Crusaders had first- and third-place finishes at the Des Plaines River Big Basin Marina Sectional on May 2. Sandwiched in between the Brother Rice boats was a group from Sandburg in second place. The Crusaders’…
Lions Club District 1A Helen Keller race draws big field
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The damp weather from overnight rain did not deter more than 100 people on Sunday morning from getting some exercise. The 14th annual District 1A Helen Keller 5k Fun Run/Walk proudly took place along at Harold L. Richard’s High School, 10601 Central Ave., Oak Lawn. “This is a really great…
EPCHS students collect shoes for Christmas Without Cancer Sneaker Drive
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Students in Evergreen Park Community High School’s junior physical education leadership class teamed up with the non-profit organization Christmas Without Cancer to help local families battling the devastation of cancer. The class – taught by EPCHS physical education teacher Ree McDonald – helped gather donations for Christmas Without Cancer’s second…
Swallow Cliff Chapter, NSDAR, honors JROTC cadets
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Swallow Cliff Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, participated in recent JROTC awards ceremonies held at Shepard High School in Palos Heights and Richards High School in Oak Lawn. The DAR JROTC award, consisting of a medal and certificate, was presented to Navy Cadet Emily Schrode at Richards…
Man charged with child abduction in Stickney Township
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with child abduction and luring of a minor after Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives found he attempted to lure a minor into his vehicle, said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. According to police, about 4:43 p.m. on Monday, April 22, officers responded…