Florida Will No Longer Accept Drivers Licenses From These 5 States in Immigration Crackdown

Florida announced on Wednesday that certain drivers licenses from five states are no longer valid in the state, as part of a new immigration law signed in May. The list, published on the website of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, says some classes of licenses from Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont are invalid as of July 1. The classes of licenses not valid in Florida include those designated at "Not For Federal Identification," “Limited Purpose Driver’s License,” and “Not for REAL ID Purposes Driver’s Privilege Card,” all of which are open to undocumented immigrants. The new law is part of what Florida officials consider to be the toughest crackdown on illegal immigration in the state. Read More Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Connecticut State Rep. Maryam Khan Texas Inmates Say It Feels ‘Like You’re Cooking’ in Prison as Temperature Hits Triple Digits New Video Shows Cop Clinging to Hood of Car; Driver Sentenced to 5 Years 5 Women Getting Ready for Wedding Killed by Speeding Driver Connecticut Moves to Prohibit Anyone Under 18 From Getting a Marriage License “Someone who is in our country illegally and has violated our laws should not possess a government-issued ID which allows them access to state-funded services and other privileges afforded to lawful residents,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a press release. “The Biden administration may continue to abdicate its responsibilities to secure our border, but Florida will stand for the rule of law. Even if the federal government refuses, Florida will act decisively to protect our citizens, our state, and our country.” DeSantis signed SB 1718 in May. The law says, in part, that people who knowingly transport undocumented individuals into Florida can face felony charges. It also requires that employers with at least 25 employees use a government program to verify their workers’ citizenship and legal status, as well as mandates that hospitals include a prompt for immigration status on any admission forms. Civil rights groups, including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the ACLU of Florida, said in a press release that they plan to sue DeSantis over the law. “Our lawsuit seeks to ensure the fundamental rights and dignity of every individual in the state — regardless of their immigration status,” said Kate Melloy Goettel, legal director of litigation at the American Immigration Council, one of the five civil rights organizations planning to sue. “No one should live in fear or face discrimination based on their immigration status, their presumed immigration status or the immigration status of their family members.” Floridians are worried about the implications of the law and how it will play out in their daily lives. One Florida legislator told ABC News that she’s been hearing from scared constituents who are expressing confusion over the law and asking whether they’ll be able to drive to work anymore. Some immigrant workers told the Tallahassee Democrat that they might leave the state. One woman told ABC News that she and her husband are afraid to leave their house save for work. "We're either locked inside here or we'll never come home," she said. For more information, visit us at https://www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com/.