H7939 allows the division of motor vehicles to issue “driver privilege cards and permits” to applicants “unable to establish legal presence in the United States.”
The Senate passed H7939 on June 23, 2022, by a vote of 28 to 10. We have assigned pluses to the nays because persons unlawfully present in the United States ought not to be permitted sanctuary or residency in Rhode Island, let alone be considered eligible for a state-issued form of identification or permit. According to Article 1, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the authority to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. Rather than pursue unconstitutional “sanctuary policy,” states should use their powers reserved under the 10th Amendment to address the crisis of illegal immigration and provide for their own public safety.