Immigration Law

MICHIGAN DMV ISSUES INSTRUCTIONS IMPLEMENTING NEW ANTI-LEGAL IMMIGRANT PROPOSAL

By Greg Siskind

There has been some debate in the comments from my recent post on whether Michigan really meant it when they decided to only allow US citizens and permanent residents to get a driver's license in the state. Here's the proof. There is nothing allowing those with a valid I-94 to work, proof of asylum or refugee status, an employment authorization card, an I-20, a receipt for a pending adjustment of status application, a DS-2019 or any other of the usual documents that prove legal status in the US to get a drivers license.

If you think possessing an out of state drivers license, international drivers license or the drivers license of a foreign country will be enough to drive, think again. Michigan law states the following:

New Michigan residents who wish to drive must obtain a Michigan driver license immediately upon establishing a permanent domicile (home) within the state and/or obtaining employment with the intent of remaining in this state.

What is going to be fun is watching Michigan back down on this. I would LOVE to be a fly on the wall and here some of the conversations that are no doubt taking place between state leaders and leaders of industry, academia and the ethnic communities across the state on why LEGAL visa holders are being told to leave Michigan.  And this says nothing of the affect on legal refugees and asylees in the state. Michigan could very well be violating resettlement funding agreements with the State Department by implementing a proposal of this sort.

Plus there may be some really interesting constitutional questions raised by this whole debacle. I'll leave that the to the Con Law gurus.

Full post as published by Greg Siskind's Blog on January 23, 2008 (boomark / email).