CASA of Maryland lobbies for driver's licenses, higher education
by Gabby LaVerghetta
On February 23, CASA of Maryland organized a trip to Annapolis to lobby for immigrant access to driver's licenses and higher education. According to Mario Quiroz, communication specialist for CASA, the immigration advocacy organization wants Maryland to keep driver’s licenses available for those who don’t have a social security number or legal documentation of residence.
Gov. Martin O’Malley recently expressed support for legislation that would require driver’s license applicants to show documentation of legal US citizenship. Under current Maryland law, aspiring drivers without a social security number can set up a special meeting with the Maryland Vehicle Administration.
Del. Ron George (R-Anne Arundel), the sponsor of a bill to change this practice, said requiring proper identification for driver’s licenses is not an attack on immigration. Instead, the bill is about joining the 46 other states that require legal documentation for a driver’s license, he said.
Maryland’s lenient requirements have led to applicants lacking documentation coming to the state from all over the country. They Maryland license they obtain, however, is not an acceptable form of identification in Colorado, Oklahoma, Arizona and South Carolina. These states do not accept Maryland licenses as a form of identification because they are not considered secure. Supporters of the bill are quick to mention the fact that one of the Sept. 11 hijackers used a Maryland driver’s license as identification to board his flights.
The bill is also being presented as an alternative to the federal government’s Real ID program, which would establish a system of standardized licenses. The high cost of the program has made many states, including Maryland, reluctant to put it in place.
“People are treating the Maryland licenses as secure and finding out it’s not,” George said. “We need a uniform piece of secure identification around the country without having a centralized database.”
This stricter screening system will leave many immigrants without a legal mode of transportation. However, CASA argued that not having licenses will not necessarily keep people off the road.
The state’s process of legally applying for a license includes taking a driver’s education course and passing a written and in-car test. These requirements are what ensure that new drivers learn traffic laws before they are set free on the road.“For me, it’s a matter of public safety,” said Del. Victor R. Ramirez (D-Prince George's). “The bill is ignoring people who are trying to learn how to drive, trying to comply with Maryland laws.”
Driving without a license also means driving without insurance. This creates complications in the event of an accident on the road, which are more likely to occur when people are driving illegally, according to CASA.
“It’s a fact that people need to drive from home to work or take the kids to school, go to church. People will drive anyway so it’s better if we are all insured,” Quiroz said.
Another of CASA’s main priorities in Annapolis is supporting affordable higher education for illegal immigrants.
Quiroz said CASA is concerned about good students who graduate high school but have no legal proof of residence because their parents entered the country illegally.
The difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition is often thousands of dollars. The annual in-state tuition for a full-time undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park is $8,005, according to the university’s official website. For a student from out of state, tuition is $23, 076.
“There are honors students who graduate out of high school but because they don’t have papers or documentation, they can’t apply for scholarships or can’t even apply for in-state tuition,” Quiroz said. “We’re talking about the future and the possibility to get a higher education.”
A bill exists in the Senate that if passed would allow Maryland high school students to pay resident tuition regardless of documentation.
Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery) said he believes the bill has a “good shot” because the economic crisis has softened many Americans’ view on immigration.
“The people who have mismanaged our economy and looted hundreds and billions of dollars form American people were not immigrants,” he said. “I think most people also do not want to take out the flaws of immigration policies on children and young people who are struggling to get an education.”
CASA also opposes a bill under discussion in the House, which maintains public universities’ current policy of determining in-state tuition for legal residents first.
“It’s beating a dead horse; it serves no purpose,” Ramirez said.
CASA is the largest advocacy group for immigrants in Maryland.
