Supporting Immigrants

As the son of an immigrant mother and the grandchild of immigrants on my father’s side, I know first hand how important opportunity can be to a family, and that our country is truly a nation of immigrants. I favor providing in-state tuition eligibility and driving privileges for the children granted legal status under the DREAM Act. I support common-sense immigration policies like this that allow law enforcement to focus on keeping families safe, keeping families together, rewarding those who follow the rules, and allowing those who have arrived in Virginia to build a better life to have the same opportunity that was extended to the rest of us.

Approximately 250,000 people in Virginia—thirteen classes of immigrants including all who are undocumented—cannot take a written exam, a vision test, a road test, or easily access auto insurance. This puts all residents of Virginia at risk to increased harm from unsafe drivers. Over 200,000 undocumented immigrants have been Virginia residents for at least five years. Our undocumented neighbors pay taxes, go to work, school, and church just like everyone else. Everyone who uses our roads should be granted access to safety training and licensing in order to make our roads safe for all. Fourteen states have granted access to driver’s licenses, permits or privilege cards to people who are undocumented; in these states law enforcement, working families, the DMV, and the public have all benefitted from increased safety, revenue, trust, and freedom.