No Michigan driver's licenses, IDs for immigrants in deportation deferral program - Page 3

Originally Posted by twowayradios45

well i went today and got my permit. it seems like they (GR SOS) havent updated their requirements sheet yet but idk if that will be the case in a month..you have to drive alteast 30 days to be eligible for a drivers license so we'll see.

Originally Posted by BKbrian09

Hey what did you mean by "you have to drive atleast 30 days to be eligible for a DL?" is this your first time applying for DL? or you went to renew your previous DL?

Originally Posted by MIdreamer

How long do you guys think it will take for them to updated their information?

Originally Posted by chlehqls

Well, unfortunately, they denied me today because of the C33 label. I'm starting to move my address to an Ohio address now so it should be alright.

Originally Posted by BKbrian09

Which SOS did you go to? If I were you I would try few different SOS. I might be wrong, but SOS still hasn't update their new policy yet. And if you're getting a DL from Ohio, how does it work? don't you have to actually live there in order to get a new DL?

Originally Posted by DreamingGirl

Some immigrants who qualify for a federal deportation deferral still can't get a Michigan driver's license or ID card.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program -- OR DACA -- gives a two-year reprieve from deportation to some people who came to the United States before they were 16, and who are under age 31. They need to have lived here for five years, be a high school graduate or enrolled in school, and they can't be a threat to public safety.

But their special status isn't enough to give them driving privileges in Michigan.

"If you look at what U.S. citizenship and immigration services agency has put out, they've made very clear that the DACA participants do not have lawful status in the United States," says Michigan Department of State spokesman Fred Woodhams.

Woodhams says Michigan does issue driver's licenses to non-citizens, if they have a valid foreign passport and an employment authorization document.

But that's point and the problem, says Michigan Immigrant Rights Center attorney Susan Reed: The people covered by DACA don't have those documents.

Reed says it doesn't make sense to tell people who came here when they were children and who've lived in this country most of their lives that they can work and go to school here, they just can't drive here.

She says it's likely the Secretary of State Ruth Johnson's instruction that branch offices deny driver's licenses and IDs to DACA participants will be challenged.


THIS IS WRONG. THESE PEOPLE ARE MISTAKEN. THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN "LEGAL PRESENCE" AND "LEGAL STATUS". I CHECKED THEIR WEBSITE AND IT CLEARLY STATES THAT WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A DRIVER'S LICENSE IS PROOF OF LEGAL PRESENCE. DACA GIVES LEGAL PRESENCE. NOT LEGAL STATUS, BUT THAT'S BEYOND THE POINT, BECAUSE IN THAT CASE THEY SHOULD NOT GIVE LICENSES TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE. SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO THESE PEOPLE THE DIFFERENCE AND WHY THEY ARE MISTAKEN. UGH