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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
By Jim Clark
The Somerville City Council approved a resolution last week calling on the state to pass an act that would allow qualified residents to obtain a standard Driver’s License regardless of their immigration status.
A resolution was put forward at the latest regular meeting of the Somerville City Council calling on the state to pass the “Act Relative to Work and Family Mobility” (S.2061 and H.3012), that would allow qualified residents to obtain a standard Driver’s License regardless of their immigration status.
Speaking in favor of the resolution, Ward 5 Councilor Mark Niedergang said at the meeting, “This has gotten a lot of well-deserved publicity. This would allow undocumented immigrants to have driver’s licenses, which would benefit everybody in the Commonwealth because they’d have to have insurance, their cars inspected, etc.”
“I got a request from Ben Echevarria, the Director of The Welcome Project, to have the Council express its public support for this,” Niedergang continued. “It’s in the legislature. It has moved forward, which apparently was a surprise. Hopefully, it will pass. But this is one small thing that we can do to support this important piece of legislation.”
The full text of the resolution reads as follows:
“WHEREAS, There are between 41,000 and 78,000 residents who would be eligible drivers in Massachusetts, but cannot presently access driver’s licenses because of their federal immigration status; and
WHEREAS, Many undocumented immigrants need to drive, whether it is for work, to take their children to school, or for other important appointments; and
WHEREAS, Regardless of the particular reason, driving is necessary for many undocumented immigrants to conduct their daily activities; and
WHEREAS, To ensure road safety and accountability, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles should provide qualified undocumented immigrants with driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status; and
WHEREAS, To date, 15 other states and the District of Columbia allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, including many in our Northeast region, such as Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and New Jersey, in addition to Delaware, New Mexico, Utah, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, Washington, Maryland, Colorado, Hawaii and California; and
WHEREAS, Despite the introduction of several pieces of legislation in the Massachusetts Legislature and the wide support for such legislation from over 235 organizational endorsers as part of the Driving Families Forward movement, including the Massachusetts AFL-CIO State Federation, none of this legislation has yet been passed; and
WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Major City Chiefs Association, made up of Chiefs of Police, Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from city, state and transit police forces, has endorsed the bill as “common sense public policy that benefits everyone;” and
WHEREAS, The proposed bill has been endorsed by many city mayors, including those from Boston, Somerville, and Revere; and
WHEREAS, Passing a bill that grants driver’s licenses to qualified undocumented immigrants is in the best interest of the entire population of Massachusetts, because immigrants wanting to drive legally will have to pass written and practical driver’s exams, register their vehicles, and obtain automobile insurance; and
WHEREAS, Allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses will improve public safety by ensuring that everyone driving has been properly educated and tested and is operating a registered, inspected, and insured vehicle; and
WHEREAS, Allowing undocumented immigrants the opportunity to obtain a driver’s license will mean increased revenue for the State from license and registration fees and may lead to lower auto insurance premiums for all of Massachusetts; and
WHEREAS, Immigrants with driver’s licenses will more easily integrate into their communities which is beneficial to all Massachusetts residents; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, That the Somerville City Council calls upon the Massachusetts Legislature to pass the Act Relative to Work and Family Mobility (S.2061/H.3012), and upon the Governor to sign it, to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s license regardless of their immigration status; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be communicated to the Somerville delegation in the Legislature and to the offices of the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate and the Governor.”
The resolution was unanimously passed by the City Council.
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I’d like to know why local, state, and federal elected officials, elected by citizens, and paid by those citizen’s taxes spend all of their time trying to help people who shouldn’t be here.
When will someone help the rest of us? Despite my disability I’ve seen parking spaces that I need eliminated, and I’m constantly told to take public transportation. But illegal aliens should receive special help in order to drive? Why don’t they take the T?
There is only one reason people keep pushing for illegals to have the same ID that citizens have, and that is so they can register to vote. Our rights as citizens are being stripped clean.
And this is where we’re headed folks:
https://www.boston25news.com/news/under-new-cambridge-law-undocumented-immigrants-cant-be-arrested-driving-without-license/HWLLA3N77BA4LH55TDLIIUE7SI/
The city council can’t handle the problems of the city and mobility. They need to put some time and work into the problems here. People with mobility problems are being shut out due to the city cutting off access to their housing and businesses they want to go to. Stay within your territory and work on those problem first
I used to feel a little bit like that, until our latest President got elected. If he has done anything positive for this country, it is to bring to light the problem that immigrants face trying to come here to better their lives, or, at least have a life at all, although that might not be what he intended.
Yes, some of them are here illegally, but those who are likely are trying to escape from a horrible situation, and we are a nation that was founded on the basis of immigrants coming here to find a better way to live.
Maybe you believe the Native Americans should have turned the Pilgrims away for the same reason? Weren’t they escaping persecution when they came here, and were looking for a better life?
Illegal or not, many immigrants are contributing to our economy and paying taxes here, which IS helping us. As much as I would prefer people to come here through legal channels, I now understand why some do not either have the time or the means to do so.
Nothing is ever 100%, but I believe that most immigrants that come here are decent people willing to work, and only want to do good. That can never be a disadvantage to us.
I refuse to be one of the people in this country that feels a lack of compassion for those who need help, just to fit an agenda. We need to stop passing hatred around and start trying to understand why people are seeking our help.
Who is passing hatred around? The matter at hand is not why they come or even if they should come. The question here is why are they treated better than us? I’ve seen many citizens turned away from the RMV because they don’t have sufficient documentation. What documentation will illegals have to produce or will they get a pass? A driver’s license, like a passport, is generally considered proof of legal status. You can use it for many things, in particular for registering to vote. There are legal means of immigrating to this country as there are legal means for requesting refugee status. If legal means are not followed you should not be afforded de facto legal status.
A driver’s license allows you to drive, get insurance (uninsured drivers cost us all money) and conduct basic commerce.It prevents people from living in the shadows. Anyone who think a driver’s license allows you to vote in a state/federal election is just frothing at the mouth over nothing.
Linda, this is about just handing out a license to just anyone. Not really about the whole immigration problem. I have also changed my way of thinking as things have changed. I have started a petition for legalizing in a way I think may be fair. It is something I have had been thinking about. Yesterday I decided to chance it and go ahead with it. Even if I can only get our elected officials to grasp some kind of idea out of it and make it work. But our city officials should just just work at the job they were elected to do. My petition is at http://chng.it/x9bLcsRc
And just like that, a bunch of Our Revolution heads explode. You see, folks- it’s posible to support good causes like immigration reform and simultaneously take a view that dedicated bike lanes aren’t always the right thing to do. Apparently non-binary isn’t just for gender anymore.
A long time coming. Best thing all around for everyone concerned. Thank you, council.
Just what we need: even MORE terrible drivers on our roads. Seriously who is electing these people? We literally have lead in our water and they are advocating for garbage like this. Amazing.
Get rid of the numbskull Bernie “Our Revolution” folks like Neidergang before it’s too late.