Prove citizenship for driver's license

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A last-minute addition to a budget bill passed this week at the Texas Capitol will affect most Texas adults - and the way you get your driver's license.

Currently, when you go to get your license or renew it, DPS officers are allowed to ask for proof of your citizenship or legal status in the country - with something like a passport or birth certificate. Under the new law, they're required to ask for this information.

It's meant to cut down on illegal immigration. But critics say I would force undocumented immigrants living in Texas for years to drive without licenses or face deportation.

Groups like the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition see further problems for even people living here legally.

“Immigration law is so complex,” said AIRC's Esther Reyes. “Somebody may not be able to prove their immigration status, even if they are here legally.”

However, the measure would allow immigrants on short-term visas to acquire driving privileges. Plus it lets legal immigrants get driver's licenses that look the same as citizens' licenses, removing that “illegal stigma.”