In Florida, what happens to driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants in at least five states?

Less than 15 days after the enactment of controversial Florida law SB 1718, concerns regarding undocumented drivers’ licenses are already being felt.

In that state, governed by Ron DeSantis, it was decided to invalidate driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants in states that do not have the federal requirement known as Real ID, Noticias Univisión reported on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.

Florida Immigration Law: These are the measures against undocumented immigrants

The license and the Real ID

The new law, which went into effect July 1, places restrictions on driver’s licenses issued by certain states that do not meet the federal requirement called Real ID, a mechanism that can verify the authenticity of personal identification, the Univision Network explains. through a television report.

What is happening? That means if someone in Florida drives a car with a driver’s license that is on the specific list that excludes those types of permits, they could face serious legal trouble, the reporter responds.

For Luis Victoria, attorney and expert on immigration issues, this has impacts, repercussions, on federal immigration law.

If that person does not have valid ID in the state of Florida, they could be arrested because such conduct is considered “a criminal offense” in that area, Victoria warns.

The Police officer can transfer this person to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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Where do the limited driving licenses come from?

With the enactment of the new Florida Immigration Act SB-1718, Governor Ron DeSantis reported, according to Univisión, that the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has announced a list of driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants in other states. which are no longer accepted in Florida.

The new standard “does not recognize valid driver’s licenses that do not have the federal identification badge issued in the following states:

What to do if you are arrested in Florida

Organizations and foundations defending the rights of migrants and assisting undocumented migrants have made several recommendations through this medium in case of detention.

If a cop pulls you over for having these kinds of invalid permits, activist Mariana Blanca lists tips from Florida:

In Univisión News, they emphasized that Ron DeSantis stated that someone who is in the United States illegally “and has violated our laws should not have a government-issued ID that would allow him to access state-funded services and other privileges granted to legal residents”. .