Texas Adds New ID Restrictions on Vehicle Registrations and Renewals

By Ayden Runnels and Alex Nguyen, The Texas Tribune

AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is implementing more stringent photo identification requirements for all vehicle registrations and renewals in an abrupt shift that could shut out illegal immigrants from legally owning vehicles.

Current photo identification, such as a state driver’s license or passport, must be presented when new vehicle registrations or renewals are made, according to the new policy. The DMV said it informed county tax offices on Nov. 18 of the new requirement, which went into effect immediately. The San Antonio Express-News first reported the policy change.

Licensed vehicle dealers in the state also were notified by the DMV on Nov. 19 that a customer’s approved photo identification must be presented during sales. A DMV spokesperson said the new guidance is “intended to ensure the validity of identification documents required as part of the state’s vehicle registration process.”

The DMV’s list of approved identification sent to dealers and counties includes: a Texas driver’s license; an unexpired U.S. passport; Texas License To Carry identification; and IDs issued by the U.S. military, Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services and Department of State.

The move could prevent many illegal immigrants from registering vehicles — and Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, said he hopes that’s what the new policy will do. Harrison had repeatedly criticized the DMV this month about its registration policy and called for the department to take action. He also sent a letter to both the DMV and Gov. Greg Abbott’s office demanding action be taken in the days before the new policy was announced. 

An estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrants live in Texas. 

“I was outraged when I learned from a source that it was happening, and of course, I dug in on my own [and] independently verified this was going on,” Harrison said. “And it should be noted, I was the only elected Republican in Texas calling for this, to the best of my knowledge. The only one.”

Harrison alleged illegal immigrants in the state had driven up car insurance premiums and increased danger on the roads. 

Immigration advocates said the policy will add a burden on individuals and families who live and work in car-centric Texas. The change has also created confusion within the community. 

“The calls are flooding in with people just asking questions,” said Monica Rodriguez, who runs a title and insurance agency in Austin. “It’s not just paperwork that this is blocking. This is blocking survival. Families without legal status can’t legally drive to work or get groceries …  if their registration is expired, so everyday life just becomes unsafe and stressful.”

Emily Heger, Texas A&M law professor and director of the university’s Immigrant Rights Clinic, pointed to similar concerns in her email to The Texas Tribune. She added that the shift would ensnare various groups of people — such as asylum applicants and lapsed DACA recipients — who may have lived in the U.S. for a long time or have federal work authorization and pay taxes.