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Dear John,
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Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, Gamaliel affiliate in Minnesota, is part of the large and diverse Freedom to Drive Coalition that succeeded in passing legislation in Minnesota that will grant Driver’s Licenses for All, regardless of immigration status. Roughly 81,000 Minnesotans lacking permanent legal status could be affected by the change. On March 7, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has supported this effort since his election in 2018, signed the bill.
Minnesota granted driver’s licenses no matter a person’s immigration status until 2003, when then Governor Tim Pawlenty unilaterally administratively prohibited undocumented immigrants from obtaining licenses. In the twenty years since, supporters have been working to change the rule back to what it was before 2003.
Asamblea has been fighting for this law change since 2003. They have been meeting with legislators to educate them about the issue and organizing actions, securing allies, and building public support. Among the Asamblea leaders at the Capitol was Wendy P, from Lexington, MN: “I’m happy that now all immigrant parents can feel safe taking their kids to school without fear of being pulled over by the police and ending in their deportation. Another Asamblea leader, Maria R. from Lakeview, added “Now we won’t have to be scared driving to work without a license and more easily get insurance, bank accounts, and other important things.”
MN now joins eighteen states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, in letting residents apply for and obtain driver’s licenses, regardless of their immigration status. All applicants would still have to pass written and behind-the-wheel tests to be eligible for a license. The bill also eliminates the ability of a Governor to change the policy unilaterally.
The Freedom to Drive Coalition organized broad support including faith leaders, businesses, unions, agriculture groups, sheriffs and police chiefs. On February 23, Over 1000 immigrants and other supporters stayed at the State Capitol until nearly 3:00 a.m. for the final vote after a long debate on the Senate floor. They sang, chanted, danced, and hoisted signs that urged senators to approve the bill as they entered the Senate chamber. They also shared stories of how not having licenses affected family members or friends and led to their deportations.
“Just outside this chamber, there are hundreds of immigrants whose lives will be completely transformed by this bill,” Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, the bill’s Chief Author, said. “And we have the power to do that. They'll be able to drive to work. They'll be able to take their kids to school, they'll be able to take their kids to the playground. And they'll be able to live their lives with dignity.”
On March 2 the Minnesota House of Representatives voted in favor of the change for the second time as they passed the final Senate version of the bill.
Below is a link to a local news report on the bill’s signing and celebration. It includes a short interview with long time Gamaliel CRI leader Pablo Tapia, who for over twenty years helped lead the fight to change the law.
Congratulations, Asamblea!
Invest In Gamaliel [[link removed]]
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Gamaliel Network
5416 S Cornell Avenue
Chicago, IL 60615
United States
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