Goshen supports driving rights for immigrants bill

GOSHEN — Goshen Common Council gave its endorsement to a policy proposal that would offer driving privileges to undocumented Indiana residents.

Council passed a resolution expressing support for a state Senate bill that would establish a driver's card for undocumented residents. Recipients would have to show they already have driving experience or else go through the whole student driver experience like a first-time motorist, said Sen. Blake Doriot, one of the co-authors of SB 200 introduced in January.

"You're a student driver and you're treated as a student driver," he said. "And after you get the 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night time – whatever, I'm not going to recite that – then you may apply for a standard driver's card that will be treated as regular driving privileges."

Recipients would also have to show that they meet residency requirements for Indiana and they must maintain insurance. Doriot was quick to point out that the card wouldn't act as voting ID, nor would it permit driving outside of Indiana like a standard license.

A similar measure was proposed last year but failed to move forward. The resolution that council passed notes that 16 states have adopted similar legislation.

About 24 percent of Doriot's Senate district is Hispanic, while in the city of Goshen the share is about 30 percent. He said law enforcement and business owners have expressed support for the proposal.

"A police officer can do a stop. The individual has a driver's card. Odds are, he's not going to run. The police officer can see that he is attempting to drive legally," he said. "Lippert Components, Dunkin' Donut – they all have people getting to work on time, because they're not trying to find a ride, they're not trying to avoid our policemen. It gives a better work environment for the people of Indiana."

About 40 mayors in Indiana have signed a letter of endorsement that Mayor Jeremy Stutsman wrote, and he expects more to join.

"That's not a common thing for mayors to sign into a letter that some other mayor has written," Stutsman said. "The fact that it's a very bipartisan group. Mayors don't jump into big topics unless it's important, and I think that shows this is very important for all the communities in the state of Indiana."

Clerk-treasurer Richard Aguirre said he's encouraged to see the driver's card proposal after his involvement in creating the Goshen Resident ID Card. More than 2,000 city residents, only some of whom are undocumented, have obtained it since the Center for Healing and Hope began offering it in 2017.

He said it doesn't act as voter ID or a driver's license, but it lets them feel connected to the community.

"This was done to give people a chance to feel connected to Goshen, and it has given them that sense of security," Aguirre said. "Over the years, we've seen at the Center for Healing and Hope waves of different people. Folks from Mexico primarily, to Honduras, to Venezuela most recently, and from African countries, who are living in Goshen and getting this card and it gives them a sense of connection."

Several Goshen residents and past elected officials urged the city to throw its support behind the bill. Some of them shared stories of families who are scared to drive, even to church, because they can't obtain a license.

Esmerelda Gutierrez said she spoke with a family who only recently received a residency card after living in the U.S. for 25 years. She said it made a world of difference to the family of six, who previously had to take a risk if they wanted to attend their children's baseball games, concerts or parent-teacher conferences.

"Now that her family is legally here in the United States, she says they can finally breathe like they never have before, and she does not have this shadow over her like she used to," she said. "Lets give these Goshen families a chance to breathe and get out of the shadows. Let's give them an opportunity to do things the right way."