Democrats’ new running mate for presumptive presidential nominee Kamala Harris signed a bill last year allowing illegal immigrants to receive Minnesota driver’s licenses.
In March 2023, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation allowing Minnesota residents to apply for and obtain standard state driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status.
“Ensuring drivers in our state are licensed and carry insurance makes the roads safer for all Minnesotans,” Walz said in a written statement at the time. “As a longtime supporter of this bill, I am proud to finally sign it into law, making our roads safer and moving us toward our goal of making Minnesota the best state to raise a family for everyone.”
Harris announced Tuesday that Walz is her pick for vice president going into the Democratic National Convention, which opens Aug. 19.
Minnesota is home to at least 81,000 illegal immigrants, according to the governor’s office, which touted the bill as a means to “increase safety across Minnesota by ensuring that all drivers are licensed, insured, and have taken driver’s education courses.”
Minnesota driver’s licenses don’t note immigration status on the physical card, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Veena Iyer, executive director of the Immigration Law Center of Minnesota, celebrated Walz’s support for the legislation as “a major victory” after it passed the Minnesota House and Senate.
“Access to driver’s licenses is important for public safety, economic growth, and the dignity of our community members,” Iyer said in a public statement March 6, 2023, a day before Walz signed the bill into law.
In 2003, then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, took action to block illegal aliens from receiving driver’s licenses in Minnesota. Now, though, under the Driver’s License for All law, there is no need “to show proof of legal presence in the United States to get a standard Minnesota class D driver’s license, instruction permit or standard identification (ID) card,” according to the website for the state’s Driver and Vehicle Services.
During a recent interview on CNN, Walz discussed his opposition to what he called the “Trump border wall,” saying: “If it’s 25 feet, then I’ll invest in the 30-foot-ladder factory.”
Also last year, Walz backed state legislation to allow illegal aliens to receive free college tuition at Minnesota public colleges.
The governor also supported legislation allowing illegal immigrants to enroll in MinnesotaCare, the state’s subsidized health care program. Walz signed the bill into law, and it will take effect in January.