Florida releases the first batch of voided out-of-state driver licenses
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The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles published a list of out-of-state license classes no longer accepted here in compliance with a state immigration reform law that took effect July 1.
Why it matters: Tampa Bay is home to an estimated 81,000 undocumented immigrants, according to the Migration Policy Institute. The law restricts their ability to navigate a region with especially bad public transportation.
- Law enforcement officers can already report undocumented immigrants to federal authorities during traffic stops, according to the Florida Policy Institute, a progressive-leaning research organization.
How it works: The state must maintain — and periodically revise — a list of out-of-state classes of driver's licenses that are now invalid.
- These licenses often have language indicating the driver did not provide proof of "lawful presence" to the issuing state. The disclaimers include "not for federal identification" and "driver privilege only."
- A law enforcement officer who stops a person driving with an invalid license must issue a citation to the driver. It's also a misdemeanor offense.
Zoom in: These are the out-of-state license classes included in the list:
- Connecticut licenses with the disclaimer "Not For Federal Identification."
- Delaware licenses that say "Driving Privilege Only" and "Not Valid for Identification."
- Hawaii licenses that read "Limited Purpose Driver's License," "Limited Purpose Instruction Permit," "Limited Purpose Provisional Driver's License," and "Not Valid for use for official Federal purposes."
- Rhode Island licenses with the disclaimers "Not for Federal Identification," "Driver Privilege Card," and "Driver Privilege Permit."
- Vermont licenses that say "Not for REAL ID Purposes Driver’s Privilege Card," "Not for REAL ID Purposes Junior Driver’s Privilege Card," and "Not for REAL ID Purposes Learner’s Privilege Card."
The full list can be found here.