Causa Applauds Oregon Legislature for Addressing Driver Licenses for DACA and TPS Recipients

Causa applauds the Oregon legislature for passing HB 4111A, maintaining driving privileges for Oregon's DACA recipients and TPS holders by permitting a person to use expired documentation to renew or replace a driver license.

HB 4111A would allow the DMV to renew and replace a limited term (2 year) driver’s license for DACA and TPS recipients whose legal status has expired due to changes in federal immigration policy. DACA and TPS holders demonstrated good faith when each applicant applied for relief, paid a significant government fee, and underwent rigorous background checks.

Some DACA and TPS recipients’ legal protection will lapse due to changes in immigration policy. On September 5, 2017 President Trump abruptly ended DACA, and in January 2018, he also ended Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for El Salvadorans, among other vulnerable countries. Passage of any federal legislation remains uncertain because Congress has failed to come to bipartisan agreement. As a result, the federal government has left thousands of Oregonians in limbo. There are 11,000 DACA recipients and nearly 1,000 TPS holders in Oregon. The inability to renew their status would have also prevented these Oregonians from renewing their state driver license.

“This bill gives DACA and TPS recipients a degree of certainty in a time when so much of federal immigration policy remains uncertain,” said Andrea Williams, Causa’s Executive Director. “Oregon legislators took a step in the right direction, and we have more to do. Causa is committed to passing driver licenses for all, so that Oregon’s immigrant families can safely drive their kids to doctor’s appointments, go to work, and get groceries without fear of deportation.”

HB 4111A passed with bipartisan support and now heads to the Governor’s desk for signing.