There are only a few weeks left until the legislative session of this year, which means that politicians will soon start evaluating hundreds of bills.
The driver’s licenses that are issued to undocumented immigrants by other states would be rendered invalid in Oklahoma if one legislation were to be passed.
“If you have entered the United States illegally, you’re breaking the law,” Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle stated. “I don’t believe that we need to reward people who are breaking the law… It’s a privilege to drive in the state of Oklahoma”
A bill known as House Bill 1043, also known as the Respect for Citizens Act of 2025, was written by Jenkins.
This legislation is based on a statute that is quite similar to one that exists in the state of Florida. Undocumented immigrants would be prohibited from operating motor vehicles with a license that was issued in a state other than their own.
The National Immigration Law Center reports that there are regulations in place in 19 states and the District of Columbia that make it possible for undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s license.
“Those licenses will not be valid in the state of Oklahoma, and they will be issued a citation in the event that they are driving on our roads,” Jenkins stated. “When I went door to door, the people in my district spoke loudly and clearly… They do not want illegals driving on our streets.”
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Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, a Democrat representing Oklahoma City, says he disagrees. The bill was described as “problematic” by him.
“A bill like this only erodes public safety,” Alonso-Sandoval stated. “It also erodes trust that law enforcement has really tried to build up within the immigrant community.”
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He is concerned that the bill would discourage undocumented immigrants from reporting crimes and has the potential to waste the time of law enforcement officers.
“They introduce bills like this that don’t really bring any real solutions, but are all fear based and out there to just divide our communities from their neighbors,” Alonso-Sandoval stated.
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