MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – There is a growing controversy over out-of-state driver’s licenses in Florida.
The governor said some states are allowing undocumented migrants to get licenses and now some of them are no longer valid in Florida.
On July 1, nearly 200 new laws went into effect, including some of the strictest immigration laws in the country.
It’s no secret Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican majority legislature have made immigration a priority, from orchestrating migrant trips to so-called sanctuary cities to new legislation, including the invalidation of out of state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants.
On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles put out a list of five states, and the specific types of licenses that are invalid.
The listed states are Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The types of licenses from those states that are now invalid include language on them such as “not for federal identification” or “driver’s privilege card.”
In addition, the legislation also cracks down on hiring and transporting undocumented workers, and requires hospitals receiving Medicaid funds to ask for patients’ immigration status.
DeSantis said the legislation is needed due to what he considers the Biden administration’s failure to secure the border.