Ohio Senators Push to Deny All Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants

Ohio Senators Urge State and Federal Governments to Block Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

Ohio’s two U.S. senators are calling for changes to state and federal policies that allow some undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses after a fatal crash in northeastern Ohio involving a driver who held a Connecticut credential.

Sen. Bernie Moreno sent a letter to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont criticizing the state’s policy of issuing “drive-only” licenses to some immigrants regardless of their immigration status. Sen. Jon Husted separately wrote to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, urging federal officials to prevent states from issuing driver’s licenses to people who cannot document their lawful presence in the United States.

The lawmakers’ requests follow a crash in Ohio that killed an individual and involved an undocumented immigrant who had obtained a Connecticut driver’s license. The information provided about the crash does not identify the victim, provide the date or location, or describe the specific circumstances of the collision.

Connecticut is among 19 states, along with the District of Columbia, that issue driving credentials to certain immigrants who cannot establish lawful immigration status. These credentials are generally limited to driving privileges and are not intended to serve as proof of eligibility for federal purposes.

Moreno’s letter to Lamont objected to Connecticut’s licensing policy and argued that the policy contributed to public safety risks. Husted’s letter asked the federal agencies to take what he described as “swift and decisive action” against state departments of motor vehicles that issue drive-only licenses.

“The ‘drive-only’ initiatives for illegal immigrants championed by state governments across the country are not merely lapses in judgment; they are extensions of failed immigration policies that place Americans at risk,” Husted wrote, according to the provided material.

Husted also referred to the effect of the Ohio crash on the victim’s family and urged federal officials to act so that other families are not affected by similar incidents. His request would require federal action affecting state licensing practices, although the letters’ materials do not specify what legal or administrative steps the departments could take.

Ohio currently takes a different approach. An Ohio Department of Public Safety spokesperson told WOUB that the state does not issue driver’s licenses or identification cards to undocumented immigrants.

“Not only do we not issue drive-only credentials to undocumented immigrants—we do not issue any ID credentials of any kind to undocumented immigrants,” the spokesperson said in an email, according to the information provided.

For professional drivers, the dispute centers on how states verify identity, immigration status and driving eligibility—and how those credentials are recognized when vehicles and drivers cross state lines. Commercial drivers already operate under separate federal and state licensing requirements, including rules governing commercial driver’s licenses, medical qualification and interstate enforcement. The senators’ letters seek a broader restriction that would apply to all driver’s licenses and identification credentials issued by states to people without documented lawful presence.

The issue also adds to an ongoing national debate over whether allowing undocumented residents to drive legally improves road safety by helping states test, insure and track drivers, or whether the practice improperly grants driving privileges to people who lack legal status. The material provided does not include responses from Connecticut officials, the federal agencies, trucking organizations or independent traffic-safety experts.

Husted has also faced controversy over a political advertisement that used images of victims from a separate pileup involving an immigrant truck driver who failed to stop for traffic. That incident is distinct from the northeastern Ohio crash that prompted the senators’ latest letters.

The senators are seeking action from different levels of government. Moreno is asking Connecticut’s governor to reconsider that state’s licensing policy, while Husted is asking federal transportation and homeland security officials to restrict state motor vehicle agencies nationwide. Any broader change would involve questions about federal authority, state licensing powers and the treatment of driving credentials issued to people without lawful immigration status.