Virginia Gov. Northam Signs Bill Allowing Illegals Right to Drive
Newsmax
URL: https://www.newsmax.com/politics/dmv-il ... /id/978762
Category: politicsNews
Published: Thu, 23 Jul 2020 20:53:06 EDT
Description: Virginia Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam has signed a bill granting illegal immigrants the ability to legally drive in his state, according to WSET. Northam signed the legislation Monday during a virtual event that will permit the Department of Motor Vehicles to give drive privilege cards to residents who illegally live in Virginia on Jan. 1, 2021.
The new law will do away with the requirements for citizenship and legal presence, which anyone needed to get a driver's license or ID card in Virginia. "In addition to giving members of Virginia's immigrant community the ability to legally drive a vehicle, this driver privilege card legislation will make obtaining valid identification accessible to all Virginia residents, regardless of their immigration status," Northam said. Estimates put the number of illegal immigrants living in Virginia at just over 250,000, according to the Migration Policy Institute, a non-partisan Washington, D.C., think tank. The Virginia statehouse passed a bill earlier this year to allow illegal residents to receive privilege cards, which differ from driver's licenses in that they have to be renewed annually. Driver's licenses remain valid for a few years before renewal is required.