California’s plan to share information about over one million undocumented immigrants holding driver’s licenses with a national database raises significant concerns about privacy and potential deportation risks. This decision breaks promises made to those who obtained their licenses under Assembly Bill 60, passed in 2013.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) intends to share this sensitive data with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) to comply with the Real ID Act of 2005. Advocates argue this move violates the assurances given to AB 60 license holders that their information would not be used against them.
Key facts:
- California has requested $55 million to implement the necessary data-sharing infrastructure.
- The law prohibits using information from the AB 60 process to determine a person’s citizenship or immigration status.
- The placeholder value ‘99999’ will be used for individuals without a Social Security number in the database.
Tracy Rosenberg, an immigration advocate, stated, “It’s unclear how extreme the danger people are being put into by this decision but there’s no doubt we told people with AB 60 licenses this would never happen, but it’s happening, and that’s a direct betrayal.” She emphasizes the inherent risks involved in uploading such personal information.
Ed Hasbrouck, another advocate, warned that once this data is uploaded to AAMVA, it falls beyond California’s control. The AAMVA, while a nonprofit organization, is not subject to the same public scrutiny as government agencies.
As California has remained in partial or non-compliant status with the Real ID Act for years without facing consequences, this sudden shift appears politically driven rather than legally required. The long-term implications of sharing this data on undocumented immigrants’ safety and privacy are unclear. Moreover, it remains uncertain how the federal government will utilize this information once shared with AAMVA.
