A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to withhold Federal highway funding from States that issue driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, or personal identification cards to individuals without verifying the legal status of those individuals, and for other purposes.
Summary
This legislation aims to change how federal highway funding is distributed to states by adding new requirements for state-issued identification. Under the proposal, the federal government would withhold highway construction and maintenance funds from any state that issues driver's licenses, commercial licenses, or personal identification cards to individuals without first verifying that they are legally present in the United States. This would create a financial incentive for states to implement stricter documentation and verification procedures for all residents seeking these forms of identification. If enacted, states that currently allow undocumented individuals to obtain licenses or those that do not require proof of legal status would face a choice between changing their state laws or losing a portion of their federal transportation budget. This could lead to significant changes in how citizens and non-citizens interact with state motor vehicle departments and could impact the funding available for local road and bridge projects.