Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Republican Party is questioning the State of Illinois making licenses available to non-citizens. 

The GOP’s concern is in response to the signing of HB3882, which phased out the Temporary Visitor Driver's License and allows immigrants, regardless of their immigration status, to apply for a standard driver's license for identification purposes starting from July 1, 2024. 

“A driver’s license isn’t just that, it’s an ID someone could use to vote in an election," the Illinois GOP said on Facebook. "Do you trust the state to make sure non-citizens aren’t automatically registered to vote?” 

The updated driver's license removes the identifying purple strip found on a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License (TVDL) and includes the statement "Federal Limits Apply," but it cannot be used for obtaining a REAL ID for travel, according to International Legal and Business Services Group.

The governor said the law creates a fair system for everyone.  

"This legislation is a significant step in eliminating the barriers to opportunity that many undocumented immigrants face," Pritzker said in a press release. "We're ensuring every eligible individual can obtain a driver's license, making our roads safer, decreasing stigma, and creating more equitable systems for all." 

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias's office said, according to WTTW, there are documentations that will ensure that noncitizens are not listed on the voter rolls as part of Illinois’ automatic voter registration program. 

Earlier this year Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy pledged to prioritize strengthening election integrity in the state, emphasizing the party's commitment to building infrastructure, recruiting volunteers, and addressing concerns such as voter registration, early voting, and university towns. Electoral incidents in the last election cycle, including ballot errors and allegations of improper verification of mail-in ballots, have raised concerns about the integrity of elections in Illinois, prompting calls for solutions and increased trust in the electoral process, have critics like the Illinois GOP.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a different stance making certain out-of-state driver's licenses will no longer be valid in Florida due to the state's new immigration crackdown law. The law, Senate Bill 1718, specifies that driver's licenses from Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont will not be recognized in Florida if the driver is in the U.S. illegally, The Hill reported. The new legislation aims to enhance homeland security, interdict criminal activity, and ensure that only individuals with proof of lawful presence in the United States are granted driver's licenses in Florida.