TX to mark Non-USC Driver's licenses

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Lawmakers challenge new rules for legal immigrants

12/9/2008 10:13 AM

By: Catie Beck

Texas lawmakers accused the Department of Public Safety of encouraging racial profiling for adopting two new guidelines for drivers license requirements.

In May and September, the Department of Public Safety adopted provisions to create a new type of drivers license for lawful Texas residents who retain some kind of immigrant status.

Now permanent resident Juan Urena, a lawful resident of the United States for seven years, will not only receive a different license than U.S. citizens, but will also have to show proof that he is legal.

Who was there?

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, State Rep. Ruth McClendon and other legislators held the press conference to DPS driver's license rules for non-citizens that went into effect Oct. 1.

"Why do you have to be predisposed and look different from the rest?" Urena said.

Urena's license will not be a horizontal card, rather, like drivers below the age of 21, it will be a vertical one. Red letters will read "temporary visitor". Under Deposes new guidelines, all permanent residents in Texas will receive the same type of licenses.

"It's called institutionalized racism," Fort Worth Rep. Lon Burnam said.

A group of lawmakers said the rules will encourage racial profiling. Furthermore, they argued that DPS has no jurisdiction to implement such rules.

"DPS has no authority to be making immigration policy," San Antonio Rep. Ruth McClendon said.

San Antonio Rep. Ruth McClendon said.

DPS officials would not give an in-person interview, but told us this effort will reduce license fraud and identity theft, which has been problematic in Texas. In Dallas, 400 foreign nationals found a loophole and got licenses.

But some lawmakers want a look at the bigger picture.

"Allow the legislature to come in to 2009 and take legislative action starting from a blank slate," San Antonio Rep. Joaquin Castro said.

Lawmakers opposed to the new rules were critical of DPS. They said the agencies role in issuing driver's license is under review.

Urena said he wonders about it as well.

"You're here for a reason, you help your community, you pay your taxes," he said.

Urena said he doesn't understand why the state is toughening rules for those who have followed them in the first place.

News8 Austin

Saludos,

Caro

[TBoneTX 45,705]

The current rules (as of October 1) state in part that only immigrants with at least a 12-month I-94 with at least 6 months of validity on it can apply for a Texas driver's license. This excludes an entire class of lawful immigrants -- all K-1 recipients.

I certainly hope that the State Legislature WILL revisit these arbitrary rules that the DPS has implemented. An even more bitter pill to swallow, from a personal standpoint, is that my fiancee-now-wife would have been able to reach the U.S. and qualify for a Texas D.L. under the previous rules, had the rogue consulate in Guayaquil, Ecuador not committed its delaying, obfuscating, waffling, power-playing monkeyshines.

[DanielParul 50]

I was stuck here without a license for an entire month while Daniel was in Louisiana training in june. I wish they will change the law to accomodate K1 visa holders with only 90 day valid I-94, could come up with something like the EAD and AP till you get your GC - A temporary DL.

Thankfully, I was able to drive with my Indian DL.

For now it just seems like they can come up with any kind of rules for us legal immigrants just coz we follow the law. Seems like all an illegal has to do is walk-in and say they don't have an I-94 and just fill up a form to get a license

[NArocks 13]

In New Jersey My husbands DL has in Red Letters

Temp Immigrant Status.

I was stuck here without a license for an entire month while Daniel was in Louisiana training in june. I wish they will change the law to accomodate K1 visa holders with only 90 day valid I-94, could come up with something like the EAD and AP till you get your GC - A temporary DL.

Thankfully, I was able to drive with my Indian DL.

For now it just seems like they can come up with any kind of rules for us legal immigrants just coz we follow the law. Seems like all an illegal has to do is walk-in and say they don't have an I-94 and just fill up a form to get a license

[TBoneTX 45,705]

Seems like all an illegal has to do is walk-in and say they don't have an I-94 and just fill up a form to get a license.

At least in Texas, I don't think that they can do this now. There are a lot of phony licenses out there, however, si man.

For now it just seems like they can come up with any kind of rules for us legal immigrants just coz we follow the law.

Si, man -- they can't do anything effectual about the illegals, so they harass and punish the lawful-but-not-yet-legals. More than once during this infernal legal process, I wryly noted to the fiancee that if she were an illegal Mexican, she'd be here already, and the world would be her oyster. She completely agreed, without discussion. Now, it remains to be seen whether the AOS/EAD/AP procedure will go even the slightest bit smoothly.

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Seems like all an illegal has to do is walk-in and say they don't have an I-94 and just fill up a form to get a license.

At least in Texas, I don't think that they can do this now. There are a lot of phony licenses out there, however, si man.

For now it just seems like they can come up with any kind of rules for us legal immigrants just coz we follow the law.

Si, man -- they can't do anything effectual about the illegals, so they harass and punish the lawful-but-not-yet-legals. More than once during this infernal legal process, I wryly noted to the fiancee that if she were an illegal Mexican, she'd be here already, and the world would be her oyster. She completely agreed, without discussion. Now, it remains to be seen whether the AOS/EAD/AP procedure will go even the slightest bit smoothly.

Totally agree!! it's insane!!

Saludos,

Caro

[himher 634]

That should close down the ID booths at the flea markets (entertainment purposes only lol).

Isn't proof of legal status required anyway? The letter with the green card says you have to have it with you at all times.

[Caladan 19]

For quite a lot of people, there isn't a distinction between legal and illegal (after all, if you marry an American, you're a citizen, right?); more handwringing about illegal immigrants makes life harder for those doing it legally. Anyone who is here illegally will likely drive anyway. Someone here legally gets to get extra harassed. Dumb dumb dumb.

[Kajikit 65]

If you have been in the US long enough to obtain your 10-year greencard (bearing in mind I just got mine on my 4th wedding anniversary) it's pretty insulting to be labelled as a 'temporary visitor'! I'm glad I'm not living in Texas. When I got my Florida ID card it was just the same as anyone else's with no reference to my immigration status, which is the way it should be. They seem to have a strange definition of the word 'temporary' if it applies to someone with the right to live in the country indefinitely.

Edited December 31, 2008 by Kajikit

[TBoneTX 45,705]

If you have been in the US long enough to obtain your 10-year greencard (bearing in mind I just got mine on my 4th wedding anniversary) it's pretty insulting to be labelled as a 'temporary visitor'! I'm glad I'm not living in Texas. When I got my Florida ID card it was just the same as anyone else's with no reference to my immigration status, which is the way it should be. They seem to have a strange definition of the word 'temporary' if it applies to someone with the right to live in the country indefinitely.

Si, man. Just on Dec. 30, I spoke briefly with an immigration attorney about my wife's "driving" situation after her I-94 expires in early January. Answer: She should be OK with her valid Ecuadorian license, as long as she keeps a copy of her NOA1 for AOS with her, too. Also, the attorney mentioned in passing that there are moves afoot in Texas to deal with that double standard of "12-month I-94 good, anything less bad." Si, man.

[christera22 8]

this is insane and yes a systematic plan to humiliate people who are not citizens. My husband doesnt want to be acitizen ever and keep his status of permanent resident. As his home country doesnt allow twin citizenship. USA though my mother land is becoming a land of laws ..... someday we wd be afraid to go out of home. I am not saying security is not necessary but there is no way necessary to humilaite people by saying them TEMPORARY RESIDENT. Other day someone at a mall here was laughing on US technical term ' Resident Alien ' & 'Non-Resident Alien'.... as if they have come from a place out of the world. This is the proof that US think themselves to be the world , which is a utter stupidity. I dnt even understand the importance of different states with different laws and the need to biting each other with those. Lots things needs to be changed.

Sorry i got pissed ..

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Well I guess if we want a regular looking license, we'll have to go to the flea market instead of the DPS.

[awaterlily 0]

wow

[jade_arb 3]

I was stuck here without a license for an entire month while Daniel was in Louisiana training in june. I wish they will change the law to accomodate K1 visa holders with only 90 day valid I-94, could come up with something like the EAD and AP till you get your GC - A temporary DL.

Thankfully, I was able to drive with my Indian DL.

For now it just seems like they can come up with any kind of rules for us legal immigrants just coz we follow the law. Seems like all an illegal has to do is walk-in and say they don't have an I-94 and just fill up a form to get a license

At least in Lousiana you can drive with a foreign lincense, in Texas if you do not have a Texas DL your car will be towed...

I did not know about the marking, I heard that the DPS was issuing DL to people with EAD for just the same time of period that the EAD was good. In the article they forgot to mention that the DPS will ask for your SSN card every time that you want to renew the DL if you are not a US citizen!!

I guess I will get a license with red letter saying "TEMPORARY VISITOR", since in the receipt I got has "TEMP082009" in the restriction section...

The DPS in Dallas are such a*holes!! I went to the DPS and tried to get my license and I was denied because my EAD card was for 364 and not 365 (according to the women in there) as the policy requieres, so I was not eligible for it...she wanted me to ask immigration to give another EAD with matching dates!!!! I count the days month by month(not counting FEB 29) and in fact were 365..... so if you live in the DFW area go to the Carrollton Office!!! They know how to count there!!!

[Stinky Monkey 1]

Oh No it gets worse, I know that I can drive on my UK license for 1 year, so now I am faced with getting the car towed becuase I cant get TDL till I get my green card, this is so unfair. I am getting confused I thought you could only now get the TDL with a green card not EAD.