The Michigan Catholic Conference urges lawmakers to pass the Drive SAFE package, enabling undocumented immigrants to legally apply for driver’s licenses.
Safer Roads and Dignity for Immigrants at Stake
The Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) is calling on state legislators to pass the Drive SAFE package before the current legislative session ends this month. The proposed bills would allow undocumented individuals to apply for Michigan driver’s licenses and state ID cards if they can verify their identity and residency.
Applicants would follow the same requirements as other Michigan drivers, including driver’s education and insurance. This policy, already enacted in 19 states, aims to ensure safer roads while upholding the dignity of Michigan’s immigrant community.
“This policy would ensure children can safely arrive to school with a parent, mothers and fathers can legally drive to the grocery store, pharmacy or church, and every person in this state is aware that more drivers have undergone training and testing in order to make our roads safer.” said Tom Hickson, MCC’s vice president for public policy and advocacy. “In Michigan, having a driver’s license is vital for being able to participate in community life and take care of our families, and that is no different for undocumented residents of the state,”
A Decade Without Legal Driving Access
In 2008, Michigan changed its driver’s license policies, barring undocumented individuals from legally driving. For people like Laura, who has lived in Ann Arbor with her family for 18 years, this has posed significant hardships.
“The impact for us is being unable to drive and do our own chores, like going to the store, taking our children to school, or going to the doctor,” Laura said through a translator in a video shared by MCC. She credited Strangers No Longer, a Catholic advocacy group, for their support. Inspired by Catholic teachings, the group has held legislative advocacy days to push for the Drive SAFE bills.
Balancing Legal and Humanitarian Concerns
The proposed legislation explicitly states that these licenses would not grant voting rights or other privileges of citizenship. The bills focus solely on legal access to driving. MCC emphasized that Catholic teachings support nations’ rights to regulate immigration while also upholding the inherent dignity of immigrants.
“Allowing access to driver’s licenses is a practical way to help immigrants support themselves and their families,” Hickson said. “Trained, licensed, and insured drivers mean safer roads for everyone.”
Currently, non-citizens such as green card holders and international students can legally drive in Michigan. MCC highlighted that others, including immigrants awaiting documentation due to bureaucratic delays and rural or elderly residents lacking birth certificates, would also benefit from this policy.
Legislative Deadlines Loom
The Drive SAFE package includes House Bills 4410–4412 and Senate Bills 265–267, currently pending in their respective committees. With the House in session until December 19 and the Senate until December 23, time is running out to pass the bills before the legislative session ends. If the bills fail to pass, the process must restart in 2025.
Broader Advocacy for Humane Policies
Pope Francis and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have consistently advocated for treating immigrants with dignity, regardless of their legal status. MCC sees the Drive SAFE package as a tangible way for Michigan to embody these values.
“This is about community safety and human dignity,” Hickson emphasized. “We urge lawmakers to take action before the year ends.”
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