The window for illegal immigrants to get a Maryland driver’s license is already closed.
The General Assembly passed last-minute legislation late Monday night to end the state’s practice of issuing new licenses for illegal immigrants starting June 1. But to get a license, illegal immigrants have to make an appointment with the state’s Motor Vehicle Administration.
And those slots are full.
“No more appointments will be taken,” MVA spokesman Buel Young said.
Young said the MVA has roughly 2,000 appointments for out-of-country applicants seeking a driver’s license a week, and the slots for those appointments were filled well beyond June 1 before the legislation was approved.
The MVA will send letters to those who have booked appointments after June 1, informing them of changes in state law and telling them they will have to bring proof of legally being in the country to receive a license, Young said.
Immigrant-rights advocate Gustavo Torres, the executive director of CASA of Maryland, said it was “very disappointing” that illegal immigrants now have “zero chance” of getting a new license.
Prompted by requirements to comply with a federal security law known as Real ID, Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley and lawmakers struggled until the end of the session to find compromise legislation that would be approved by both chambers.
Lawmakers agreed to a measure that allows illegal immigrants who have a license as of June 1 to renew their licenses until July 1, 2015. At that point, only U.S. citizens or those who can show they are in the country legally can have a valid license.
O’Malley is expected to sign the bill shortly.
Torres said the legislation was the best compromise under the circumstances, but blamed O’Malley for his “lack of leadership” in failing to get a more illegal-immigrant-friendly bill passed.
But opponents said the legislation was little more than “window dressing” and effectively granted amnesty to illegal immigrants.
