On Friday, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker vetoed a bill passed by the Mass. State House and Senate that would make it legal for illegal aliens to obtain state-issued driver’s licenses. However, Massachusetts lawmakers are prepared to override the governor’s veto.
“I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity,” Baker wrote in a letter to the state legislature. Governor Baker added that the RMV “does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries,” as the measure would require, reports Yahoo News.
Gov. Baker also expressed concern that the legislation could “significantly increase the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote” given that there would not be any difference between a Massachusetts license issued to a citizen or legal permanent resident, and one issued to an illegal alien.
A spokeswoman for the Senate President said the chamber will override, but did not provide a date.
— Samantha J. Gross (@samanthajgross) May 27, 2022
The House will override the veto during its next formal session on June 8. https://t.co/dusxRyL2YU
“However, the state House plans to override the veto during its next formal session on June 8, according to Boston Globe reporter Samantha Gross. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the state Senate president said the chamber also plans to override the veto, but did not say when,” reports Yahoo News.
Existing Mass. law bars anyone “who does not have lawful presence in the United States” from acquiring a standard Massachusetts or Real-ID license.
The new Mass. bill would allow illegal aliens to apply for standard Massachusetts licenses - which would be honored for almost all purposes within the state but can not be used to board a flight or access federal buildings.
According to WHDH Boston:
To apply for a license, someone without legal presence would need to provide the Registry of Motor Vehicles with a foreign passport or a consular identification document as well as at least one of five other documents: a driver’s license from another state, a foreign driver’s license, a birth certificate, a foreign national ID card, or a marriage certificate from any U.S. territory.
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