SPRINGFIELD – Legislation approved by Illinois lawmakers will expand identification options for undocumented immigrants and make Illinois roads safer, according to Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias who helped craft the measure currently awaiting the governor’s signature.
Giannoulias hosted a press conference alongside the sponsors of House Bill 3882, State Representative Barbara Hernandez (50th District – Aurora) and State Senator Ram Villivalam (8th District – Chicago), as well as advocates and stakeholders, to raise awareness and highlight the importance of this legislation.
House Bill 3882 – which passed the Illinois General Assembly last month – would allow non-citizen residents who are eligible to receive a standard driver’s license with the wording “Federal Limits Apply” printed atop of the cards per the federal REAL ID Act.
These types of licenses would replace the current Temporary Visitor Driver’s Licenses (TVDLs), which undocumented immigrants have been able to obtain to drive legally in Illinois. The only difference between a TVDL and a standard driver’s license is that the purple TVDL marker and the wording “Not Valid for Identification” – which currently exists on TVDLs – would no longer appear.
TVDLs have caused issues because TVDLs cannot be used for identification under the current system and have signaled that TVDL drivers are likely undocumented.
Standard licenses are valid for an ID card and a driver’s license.
“These driver licenses are standardized to serve as authentic identification and to help remove the stigma, prevent instances of discrimination and avoid problems they have been known to cause,” said Giannoulias, who thanked the legislative sponsors and advocates who pushed for the change. “TVDLs have made it difficult for the cardholders to do basic things like fill prescriptions or rent an apartment. This legislation will make our roads safer and protect immigrants.”
“Extending the rights of non-citizens to apply for standard driver’s licenses while eliminating meaningless bureaucratic red tape will help build a more equitable future for immigrant communities,” said state Rep. Hernandez. “Our goal is to tear down racial bias at a foundational level and improve the lives of all Illinoisans, and the steps this measure takes bring us nearer to achieving that.”
“Currently, many immigrant and refugee families are restricted access to certain services by Temporary Visitor Driver’s Licenses and endure a stigma for having only that as a form of identification,” said state Sen. Villivalam. “With House Bill 3882, we are modernizing the law to provide eligible individuals the ability to obtain a standard driver’s license without discrimination and to eliminate any stigmas. This legislation builds on our mission to continue to be the most welcoming state in the nation.”