LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – In Michigan, you can’t legally drive a semi-truck or even your own car if you’re in the country illegally. State law requires U.S. citizenship and proof of legal presence for both commercial and standard licenses, and those records are double-checked through a federal database called the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.

But Democrats in Lansing have been working to change that. Their “Drive SAFE (Safety, Access, Freedom, and Economy)” bills would roll back a 2008 requirement for citizenship and would open the door for undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses and state IDs. Supporters say it’s about “safety” and “inclusion.” Critics argue it’s an invitation to chaos, fraud and a loss of safety on Michigan roads.

A California warning.

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If you want a sneak peek at how this story ends, look west. California’s AB 60 opened the door for illegal immigrants to get standard driver’s licenses a decade ago. Commercial licenses may be restricted on paper, but those lines blur fast when immigration status is left in limbo by a political party determined to flood the country with illegal immigrants and Democratic governors like California’s Gavin Newsom cater to them.

Case in point: on August 12, Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India, was behind the wheel of a big rig when he attempted a U-turn on a Florida highway in Fort Pierce, causing a crash that killed three people after their minivan slammed into Singh’s truck at full speed. Singh entered the U.S. unlawfully in 2018, filed for asylum, and later got temporary work authorization under the Biden administration after being denied during President Trump’s first term.

That allowed Singh to obtain a commercial driver’s license in California despite his unresolved immigration status. After the fatal wreck last week, Homeland Security labeled him a “criminal illegal alien” and placed an immigration detainer for deportation once his criminal case is resolved. He is charged with vehicular homicide charges as well as immigration violations.

Tests don’t guarantee safety.

It is reasonable to infer that Harjinder Singh passed the required written, vision, and road tests to obtain his California Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), as these are standard requirements under California law. However, passing a test doesn’t automatically mean someone is a safe or qualified drive – especially when they shouldn’t be in the country in the first place. Opponents of Michigan’s Drive SAFE bills argue that granting licenses, even just for personal use, creates a slippery slope. California couldn’t keep illegal immigrants out of big rigs. Why should anyone believe Lansing could?

Advocates for drivers licenses in Michigan disappointed.

On March 21, 2025, the Detroit Free Press reported that Michigan House of Representatives held a vote on the Democrat-sponsored Drive SAFE initiative, specifically House Bill 4195. The measure was overwhelmingly rejected 64-39, with Republicans joined by six Democrats voting against it, effectively derailing the proposal, at least for now.

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In response, the Michigan League for Public Policy strongly criticized the outcome. In a statement, they called the vote a missed opportunity to bolster public safety, economic vitality, and immigrant dignity. The League noted that approximately 100,000 Michigan residents have been unable to secure a driver’s license due to immigration status restrictions. They vowed to keep “fighting for this essential change.”

Bigger than driving.

Critics of the SAFE Act note that a driver’s license isn’t just a plastic card – it’s a gateway document that could open access to voting rolls, government benefits, bank accounts, and even air travel. They say giving state-issued IDs to people here illegally blurs the line between lawful residents and those who cut in line.

And when accidents happen, accountability becomes murky: insurance, liability, and justice are harder to enforce when legal status is in question. Those who say that driver’s licenses shouldn’t be handed out to illegal immigrants also say that lawbreaking shouldn’t earn privileges and that it encourages more illegal immigration, especially in blue states that cater to illegal immigrants.

Common sense vs. chaos.

For now, Republicans in Lansing, with the help of a handful of Democrats, have managed to hold the line and block the “Drive SAFE” bills. But activists say they aren’t going anywhere. They’ll keep rallying, lobbying, and turning up the pressure until the legislation squeaks through. And here’s the kicker: if Democrats retake the state House in next year’s elections while holding onto the Senate and governorship, Lansing could fast-track this wish list into law. That would put Michigan on the same slippery road as California – where political correctness takes the wheel, and citizens are left paying the toll.