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Letter from the Florida Immigrant Coalition Urging Gov. Bush to
Abandon New Drivers License Rules
FLORIDA IMMIGRANT COALITION
"Together Securing Fair Policies for Florida's Immigrants"
A program of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center
3000 Biscayne Blvd. #400, Miami, Florida 33137
Fax-305-576-6273, Phone 305-573-1106,
dskovholt@fiacfla.org
Coalition Coordinator: David Skovholt
Date sent: February 22, 2002
Governor Jeb Bush
The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Governor Bush:
The undersigned Florida organizations urge you to rescind Executive Order No. 300, the new administrative policy adopted by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and to oppose bills limiting non-citizen, and naturalized citizen access to licenses and state identification. These measures have a significant effect on hardworking, law-abiding people.
The Executive Order provides for electronic information sharing between the DHSMV and criminal justice agencies, issuing of 30 day permits, limiting the duration of licenses to the duration of INS documents, training of personnel on foreign document verification, and retaining of electronic copies of foreign identification documents.
The new administrative policy severely limits the number of licensing offices serving non-citizens in Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Penelas, Collier and Orange Counties. It also requires proof of immigration status for all services even when the information was previously provided, requires the confiscation of issued licenses and identification if people do not have INS papers with them, and compels documents that are not considered essential by INS to prove status.
The proposed bills are a potential for discrimination and abuse and would further restrict access by requiring that applicants identify country of birth, reduce the validity period for non-citizens, including Lawful Permanent Residents and Refugees, and restricts the recognition of licenses from other states.
The restrictions are unsound for the following reasons:
Floridians have not been consulted
These restrictions were adopted and proposed in haste without comment from the public, including immigrant communities when 17 % of Floridians are foreign born and 7 % are naturalized citizens. Miami-Dade's population is 51 % foreign born.
The restrictions lessen motor vehicle and highway safety
The state should promote road safety by encouraging licensed and insured drivers. Immigrants need to drive to work, perform travel related job tasks, and meet the basic necessities of living. The restrictions create circumstances that force untrained, unlicensed, and uninsured drivers on the road making highways less safe.
The restrictions hurt agriculture, tourism, and business
The restrictions hurt Florida's key industries, agriculture and tourism, that rely heavily on immigrant workers. Many migrant farm-workers will be unable to drive legally to pick the orange and sugar harvest nor waiters and housekeepers drive to hotels to serve tourists. These restrictions discourage foreign investments in Florida by making it difficult for foreign nationals to conduct business.
The restrictions are costly
At a time when the state is experiencing a financial crisis, shifting the focus of the DHSMV to law enforcement adds unnecessary costs.
The restrictions do not deter terrorism
The restrictions will not keep terrorists from engaging in terrorist acts. Identification of country of birth by applicants will add nothing to security and will give way to discrimination based on national origin.
Restrictions limit legally residing immigrants
Current DHSMV policy requires documentation that is unreasonable and has resulted in many legally residing immigrants, including Refugees, Asylees and Legal Permanent Residents, having their licenses confiscated. Many others have been unable to obtain first time licenses or ID cards. DHSMV should not ask for documents that are not required by INS.
Homeless people need identification
Homeless people need state identification to access social services, hospitals, and government programs. They depend on driver's license records from other states to obtain identification in Florida. Not recognizing the validity of licenses from other states will keep people from moving out of homelessness.
INS policy should be enforced by INS
INS laws are non-criminal and are enforced by INS officers fully trained for that purpose. Employees of the DHSMV lack the expertise to interpret the wide range of INS documents and to enforce INS policy. The DHSMV should not be turned into criminal justice enforcement agency.
Verification by INS within 30 days is unrealistic
It has been shown that INS data bases are incomplete and cannot provide quick verification of status. Information from old INS physical files has not been computerized. Lawful immigrants have gone through background checks by INS to acquire their status. Immigrants who show proof of status should not be subject to continuous monitoring by the DHSMV.
The DHSMV lacks expertise to implement the restrictions
The DHSMV lacks the expertise to interpret the INS documents used to show status. The inability to implement a working data sharing system and limiting immigrants to a few offices in certain counties will unnecessarily harm immigrants.
We urge you to rescind the order and policy and oppose the pending bills.
Respectfully submitted,
Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center
ACLU of Florida
American Immigration Lawyers Association, South Florida Chapter
American Venezuelan Business League
Association of Guatemalan Americans
Caridad Health Clinic
Church World Service, Miami
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Colombian American Service Association
Federation of Ecuadorian Entities Abroad
Florida Catholic Conference
Florida Coalition for the Homeless
Florida Farmworker's Association
Florida Legal Services
Fraternidad Nicaragünse
Guatemalan Unity Information Association
Haitian Grassroots Coalition
Haitian Women of Miami
Hispanic Latino Coalition of Sarasota
Honduran Unity
Humphrey and Whidden Insurance Agency, INC.
Human Services Coalition of Dade County
Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida
Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida
Maya King Express
Miami Coalition for the Homeless
Miami Worker's Center
Migrant Association of South Florida
Organazación Honduraña
Radio 1440 AM WWCL- Fort Myers
Redlands Christian Migrant Association
Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Union of Salvadorans of South Florida
Unite for Dignity/SEIU 1199
United Brotherhood of Carpenters
Vicker's House of West Palm Beach
Copies to:
Florida legislators, county and city mayors, Florida agencies, community organizations
