Unable to reniew NJ drivers license

[PA]

I have a friend who is not able to renew NJ driver's license because they ask for legal status now. Surely he can move to NY and exchange it for NY license but NY requires 2 photo ID proofs of date of birth. Has anyone else been in a similar situation and what the fix is for it?
Thanks

[PA]

I have a friend who is not able to renew NJ driver's license because they ask for legal status now. Surely he can move to NY and exchange it for NY license but NY requires 2 photo ID proofs of date of birth. Has anyone else been in a similar situation and what the fix is for it?
Thanks

[moondin]

just find a state that doesn't require "legal presence". Not that hard to find one.

-= nav =-

[Lonely in USA]

Wait...you're saying that you didn't need to be legal in NJ to get a drivers license prior to what...9/11?? I've lived here all my life and don't remember any time they were giving out licenses to illegal immigrants. Can you explain the situation a bit more please?

[Katycab]

New Jersey started inquiring about immigration status in the past few years, but difinitely before 2000. However definitely not in the mid-nineties. I do not know exactly when the law changed. I can't fathom why a state beleives it is in the publics best interest to refuse to license a group of people based on their status in a labrynthlike system that a motor vehicles worker is unlikely to understand the details of. In NJ you not only have to be legal, but you have to either have an immigrant visa or a student visa. Even if you find a state that does not require "legal presence", NJ will still ticket you for driving unlicensed if the officer determines that your residence is in NJ. There were four states that were not restricting licenses based on immigration status, and Califonia and Maryland, at the least, have been added. By the way- NY also wants proof of immigration status in addition to proof of identity, even if one is exchagning an out-of-state license. Good luck to your friend.

[NYCImmParalegal]

First, I am an immigrant myself, so no flames, please. Secondly, I work in immigration. With that said, I must agree with the way states are now checking lawful presence in the U.S. before granting or renewing driver's licenses. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Therefore, there are rules. One of these rules is that many states now require proof of lawful status, just as employers should require proof of lawful employment via the I-9. If a person does not comply with the rules, then the person is not eligible to obtain the privilege of driving.

[qwerty]

People like Someone 12 should not be allowed to contribute to these boards - your ignorance is intolerable. Who would pay for a wreck if you caused it? Illegal immigrants have to pay for insurance, just like everyone else. Please think before you type such stupid messages.

[Michael]

I guess they will have to drive the truck bombs without a license now. They could get a ticket and fine for for that. But I am sure the ACLU will send their lawyers to protect the rights of terrorists.

[Michael]

I didn't know they had insurance policies to cover damages caused by truck bomb blasts. What's the deductible ? 50,000 for the first billion dollars ?

[Katycab]

NYC- I understand the policies that support the idea of requiring legal presence to issue licenses, but all in all I disagree. The bottom line is in most states (other than urban areas) one needs to drive to get by. Not allowing large portions of rthe population to get a license just means they wiull drive unlicensed, and therefore unregulated. *That* is when you end up with people driving uninsured, etc. Besides that, I think that the details of "legal status" are too intricate to be understood by the typical DMV worker, and aI loathe to have them in charge of nosing into every detail of a persons status. I realize that it has become vogu to revoke driving priveleges for all sorts of errors, eg-drinking underage, falling behind on child support, not paying for gasoline, etc. But I think those issues are easuer to adjudicate then having to discuss with a civil servnt the details of your Withholding of Deportation. Further it seems that the states are starting to change their opinion on the preference of denying licenses to a population with the result of them then being unregulated.

[moondin]

Why does everyone think so simple in life?

The reason they make it hard is cuz allowing illegals to have DL's ENCOURAGES more illegals to come here! It has nothing to do with "who's here", but discouraging who'll be "coming tomorrow".

Besides. DL's are the biggest pain for illegals, and there's a reason.

You're an illegal.

1) You go downtown and get fake GC. Go get job. No employers can verify GC's so your'e set.
2) Go get fake SSN card and #. IRS never "verifies" name and SSN # with SSA so you pay taxes, etc. etc.
3) You never leave the country so you can live here forever and never have a problem since you never need to carry those 2 documents on you.

Except for the DL! You need it everywhere, and can get pulled over and requested for it. If you have FAKE docs (most illegals do), you'll FAIL at getting a DL. Once you get a DL -- you're just as good as a legal or a US citizen.

The DL is the holy grail. You can't just get a fake one, cuz an officer runs your DL and can easily tell.

The US government needs to DISCOURAGE illegals. Right now there's like 8 million illegals. If the US government just makes it easier or even makes them legal -- tomorrow MORE will come, and in 10 years it'll be 14 million. Is that what people want?

-= nav =-

[tanner]

Go to NC, all you have to have there is a ITIN. Good luck.

[NYCImmParalegal]

Again, driving is not a right. Driving is a privilege. Therefore, there are rules. I hate to differ here, but I do believe that privileges like driving should only apply to those who follow the law and have their cars insured and properly inspected, as well as those who are lawfully present in the U.S. When someone breaks the law by driving drunk, then the privilege is taken away. When someone is unlawfully present in the U.S., then driving is not allowed. We need to take some responsibility in our choices. If we intend to remain in or come to the U.S. illegally, then we must accept the consequences of our actions. These include the inability to drive, vote, etc.

[qwerty]

Someone12:Let me assure you that I know a lot more about the "real world" than you seem to. Illegal immigrants (just like any other person in the United States) want a Driver's License so they can travel from point A to point B, they want to be able to buy car insurance and drive on the roads , you are right they also need ID (Just like all other US Residents). I am curious about the "scams" you are referring to. I am certain any "scam" you speak of is not limited to illegal immigrants. I would also like to know how you are paying for "their presence here" - do you think if there were no more illegal immigrants you would get a tax break? Most illegal immigrants (again like most legal US Residents) pay taxes.
You are ignorant inasmuch as you believe all illegal immigrants do not pay taxes, do not have medical insurance (let me assure you that I know a lot more illegal immigrants than you do - and a lot of them have medical insurance, pay taxes, own homes, some even have their own businesses).
You don't understand what it is like to try for years to become American - (most of these people have no option but to remain here illegally). I would like people like you to be a little more tolerant - when was the last time your personal life was adversely affected by the presence of illegal immigrants in this Country?

[moondin]

This is the logic:

Illegals can't work. Therefore, they have no source of income.

Getting a DL means you can buy/drive, etc. a vehicle.

Vehicle costs money to upkeep, smog check, and buy insurance.

How is an illegal be able to make car payments, and pay insurance? Oh yeah, work ILLEGALLY.

So in a nutshell, giving them a DL almost encourages or validates them working illegally. So now they can even drive to their ILLEGAL jobs.

They're *illegal*. Meaning, they have no right to be here. There's NO REASON we should be rewarding those who jump our borders, yet the honest ones who still live in Mexico, and have decided NOT to jump our borders -- get no breaks.

** This is MY solution:

DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Take EVERY mexican who's decided to be honest and live and work in Mexico -- with a green card.

TOTAL IRONY. But i'd rather see the honest hardowrking mexicans in mexico get a chance to live there, than the ones who broke our laws to get here.

-= nav =-