BALTIMORE — As the Trump administration cracks down on illegal immigration, one advocacy organization wants states to issue drivers licenses to undocumented migrants.
The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) says nearly 20 states in the nation give out driver's licenses to those unlawfully in the country.
One happens to be Maryland.
In 2013 the State Legislature passed Senate Bill 715, allowing licenses for undocumented drivers as long as they either filed a state income tax return or were claimed as a dependent by someone else.
These licenses, however, are still not accepted by the federal government or for other official purposes like purchasing a firearm.
NILC says driving is an essential daily need.
They suggest barring migrants from legally operating a vehicle "results in less trained, tested, licensed, and insured drivers on the road, compromising safety for all."
The organization adds being forced to drive without a license stokes fear within immigrant communities that a traffic stop could result in separation from their families.
"A driver’s license is more than a piece of paper — it offers access to economic opportunity, freedom of mobility, and a sense of community belonging," says NILC.
According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), there are approximately 18.6 million residents, as of March 2025, residing in the United States illegally.
In 2023 FAIR estimated 350,000 undocumented migrants living in Maryland
