The issue of legal status in order to obtain driving privileges has bubbled up in Ohio. Bloomberg News reports that the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has sued the State of Ohio to prevent enforcement of a new Ohio law.
It seems the law requires that proof of legal residency be provided in order for a person to register a vehicle. The law, which took effect in August, requires that a person seeking to register a vehicle in Ohio provide an Ohio driver’s license, an Ohio identification card, or social security number.
The State LULC president is quoted as saying that LULAC feels this requirement is an attempt by the State to enforce federal immigration laws. He also said this is an attempt by the state to force undocumented people to leave Ohio. Among the claims in the lawsuit is that federal law bars states from carrying our federal duties, such as immigration enforcement.
The State has sent out thousands of letters threatening involving 47,000 vehicle registrations, saying they will be canceled December 8 unless documentation is submitted.
I wonder if the Vegas and New Jersey betting parlors are giving odds on how this one turns out.
The lawsuit looks like a stretch to me.