TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday a list of out-of-state driver’s licenses that are no longer valid in Florida due to a new law considered to be its toughest immigration crackdown to date.
DeSantis, along with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, created the list of invalid licenses as part of the newly implemented Senate Bill 1718, which includes five states.
As of July 1, these out-of-state licenses are no longer valid in Florida if the driver is in the U.S. illegally.
- Delaware
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
“Someone who is in our country illegally and has violated our laws should not possess a government-issued ID which allows them access to state-funded services and other privileges afforded to lawful residents,” DeSantis said. “The Biden administration may continue to abdicate its responsibilities to secure our border, but Florida will stand for the rule of law. Even if the federal government refuses, Florida will act decisively to protect our citizens, our state, and our country.”
According to the governor’s office, information regarding invalid out-of-state licenses is subject to change through periodic updates due to other states revising their driver’s license issuance requirements.
“FLHSMV and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol are prepared to strictly enforce Senate Bill 1718,” Kerner said in a statement. “This legislation supports two of our primary goals: to enhance homeland security and to interdict criminal activity. It communicates our state policy that Florida will not provide incentives to undocumented immigrants while reminding criminal cartels and those who are planning to unlawfully cross our national border that Florida should not be their destination of choice. Florida will not accept driver’s licenses from those who cannot provide proof of lawful presence in the United States. By doing this, we commit to a safer Florida.”
Florida Highway Patrol Colonel Gary Howze II also said SB1718 is about “safety and security.”
“When we enforce it, we ensure that the individuals we encounter are who they say they are and that they are welcome to enjoy all that the state has to offer,” Howze said. “Our priority is public safety and keeping our communities safe. We are committed to anything we can do to further that endeavor.”
DeSantis earlier this year signed SB1718 into law, which the governor says is the “strongest anti-illegal immigration legislation in the county.” The new law prohibits the issuance of a driver’s license to anyone who does not provide proof of lawful presence in the U.S. and specifies that out-of-state driver licenses issued exclusively to illegal aliens are invalid in Florida.
Florida’s new immigration reform law also requires new hires to have a work status check if the hiring business has 25 or more employees. It also strengthens penalties against those who knowingly hire or transport undocumented immigrants in the state.