SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — More than 300,000 people in Illinois currently have temporary visitor driver's licenses. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to help those undocumented immigrants receive standard IDs.
"This legislation is a significant step in eliminating the barriers to opportunity that many undocumented immigrants face," Pritzker said. "We're ensuring every eligible individual can obtain a driver's license, making our roads safer, decreasing stigma, and creating more equitable systems for all."Â
The new law will allow people to apply for a standard driver's license if they have lived in Illinois for more than a year and provide immigration documents or a passport at DMV locations. Applicants must also pass a driving test and have valid auto insurance.Â
Illinois led the nation in 2013 as one of the first states to issue temporary visitor driver's licenses to help drivers who passed road tests regardless of immigration status. However, lawmakers and advocates have seen many people discriminated against over the past decade because TVDLs have a purple mark stating "Not Valid for Identification."
Sponsors explained the temporary IDs have caused problems for people pulled over by police, patients trying to fill prescriptions at pharmacies, and customers hoping to enjoy alcohol at restaurants or bars. This law will allow non-citizens to receive a license with the words "Federal Limits Apply" printed across the top.
A poster from the Illinois Secretary of State's office shows the difference between the current temporary visitor driver's license and a standard driver's license.
"No more stigmas. You will be able to access prescriptions and show your ID at a restaurant or a store," Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) stressed. "And you don't have to have that thought about going back to your home country should there be a dangerous condition."
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias led the push for this legislation alongside Villivalam, Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. They noted that the law will also restrict the sharing of driver information by banning the use of data for immigration enforcement.
"TVDLs have become the 'Scarlet Letter' of an individual's immigration status and sadly exposes them to discrimination or immigration enforcement," Giannoulias said. "This legislation allows immigrants to obtain standard driver licenses that will serve as authentic identification in Illinois."
The new law takes effect on January 1.
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