Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Resolution supporting
One State, One License campaign and May 1 immigrant rights march
Adopted by the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Board of Directors on March 16, 2015

WHEREAS, around 11 million immigrants have come to the United States without documents searching for a better life for their families, mostly fleeing extreme poverty and violence in other parts of the world.

 

WHEREAS, an estimated 90,000 undocumented immigrants live and work in Minnesota and are our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers;

 

WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress has failed to pass an immigration reform bill that would give legal recognition to the 11 million immigrants who live and work in this country but because of their lack of immigration status, face the constant threat of deportation and separation from their families as well as discrimination in jobs, education, housing and transportation;

 

WHEREAS, one of the main things that leads to deportation and separation of families is when an immigrant driving without a license is stopped by the police and often ends up arrested and then in deportation proceedings;

 

WHEREAS, Minnesota formerly allowed any state resident regardless of immigration status to obtain a driver’s license, but ten years ago added restrictions that made it impossible for undocumented immigrants to get Minnesota driver’s licenses;

 

WHEREAS, a driver’s license only shows that someone has passed the Minnesota drivers test and knows Minnesota’s traffic and safety laws; a person’s immigration status has no bearing on their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle on Minnesota’s roads;

 

WHEREAS, every Minnesota resident would be safer if every driver on the road has taken the driver’s test and obtained a license;

 

WHEREAS, several other states allow all residents to obtain a driver’s license regardless of immigration status including most recently California;

 

WHEREAS, in the current session of the Minnesota legislature, HF 97 and HF 98, sponsored by Representatives Karen Clark and Carlos Mariana, among others, including Representative Sheldon Johnson; and SF 224 and SF 234, sponsored by Senators Bobby Jo Champion, Jim Carlson and John Marty, would change state law to allow any Minnesota resident to obtain a standard driver’s license regardless of immigration status;

 

WHEREAS, the One State, One License campaign along with other groups will join a peaceful immigrant rights march on May 1, 2015, to support the proposed driver’s license legislation;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council supports eliminating the discrimination and barriers that exist in Minnesota law that deny our immigrant neighbors the ability to apply for a driver’s license only because of their immigration status; calls on the state legislature and the governor to pass a bill this 2015 legislative session that would rectify this discrimination and public safety hazard and would allow our immigrant neighbors to apply for and obtain a driver’s license the same as other Minnesota residents; and calls on the City of St. Paul and Ramsey County to support this effort.

 

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council supports the May 1, 2015, march for immigrant rights and driver’s licenses.