Assume what it’ll feel like if they told you, you couldn’t drive for the next three months in the middle of the winter. The advocate and document recipient shared the harsh reality for the more than 440 thousand undocumented New Jersey residents. They all will now need to wait longer to apply for a state driver’s license. It would be for all the people. That would have to continue to wait until the legislation gets enacted.
Driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants delayed in NJ
The new law, which was signed by governor murphy in 2019, was supposed to launch on January first. But motor vehicle commission chief administrator sue Fulton says the pandemic’s impact on the agency made it impossible to roll out the new program on time. Today, nine MVC agencies are closed because the staff has tested positive for Covid- 19. Frequent closures have put more strain on the agency and added to the backlog from its four-month shutdown over the summer.
Fulton Statement on Delay New Jersey Driver’s License
In a statement, Fulton said, “we cannot conduct the necessary hands-on document training without violating Covid-19 restrictions. Also, the stand-downs for training would impact our critical operations. We are hopeful that we will get past the worst of the pandemic in the next few months, so we can get this done for those who sorely need it.”
“The motor vehicles commission is working, and we’re working constructively with legislative sponsors of that bill. I was proud to sign to other advocates to try to get an expeditious resolution to this as possible.”
NJ People Facing Problems With this Delay
Immigrant families, who you know need to get to work, need to take their children to the doctor’s appointment or pick up pick them up from schools. In a pandemic in a socially distant manner, won’t because of this delay. Advocate for the new jersey alliance for immigrant justice, hera mear says. While she understands there were Covid-related delays. She feels during this delay. The agency needs to rethink the current procedures before they’re finalized.
Things Also Know
Two of the things that were proposed were social security and eligibility letter. And what that means is that you, as an undocumented person who already knows you’re not eligible for a social security number. You would have to go to the social security agency and ask to file for a social security number. Then get denied by them and bring that letter as proof that you’re not eligible for a social security number to the MVC.
You’re pretty much outing yourself. We’re requesting an official web page to take that information and carry it to the community as advocates. So that’s official because of the delay, we’ve been having to give information from our perspective and say we think you know this is what’s happening.
Final Words
Nearly half a million undocumented residents in the state could become scam victims because the MVC hasn’t released official information. There’s been this delay.
People have taken advantage of that and take advantage of immigrant families, many of whom don’t have a lot of money right now because of the pandemic. They’ve lost work, and they’re being asked to pay for a service that they might not need there. It is a scam, so we need the MVC to update public information for the immigrant community. Still no word on when the driver’s licenses will be available or the regulations required to receive one.
