(Source: MIRS.news, Published 11/22/2024) House Minority Floor Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) urged House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) last week to spike legislation that would allow adults, regardless of immigration status, to qualify for a Michigan driver's license after an unlicensed, undocumented immigrant driver allegedly struck and killed a Detroit-area pastor. 

Stephen Singleton, a Detroit-area pastor, recently died after police say he was struck by a vehicle being driven by an undocumented immigrant. The driver was identified by law enforcement as a citizen of Colombia. 

Hall posted a response on X yesterday, tying it to recent discussions in the Legislature on the Drive “Safety, Access, Freedom, and the Economy,” or “SAFE” package that would provide driver’s licenses to all regardless of citizenship status. 

“Today, in light of this tragedy, Speaker Tate should announce he will not move the driver’s licenses for illegals bill during lame duck,” Hall said. “Awarding driver’s licenses to illegals not only incentivizes criminal invaders, but also jeopardizes public safety for #MI families.” 

The House package is made up of HB 4410, HB 4411and HB 4412, and the Senate package consists of SB 265, SB 266 and SB 267. They were introduced in April 2023 and are finding their way back into legislative discussions as the sun sets on the 2023-24 Legislature. 

Proponents of the bill have made public demonstrations meant for the eyes of legislators, such as unraveling a banner and chanting at the 2023 legislative softball game. On Nov. 12, advocates dropped small papers from the House gallery onto the House floor calling for action on the bills. 

But Democrats say Hall's argument against providing driver’s licenses for all regardless of legal status actually works in reverse. 

When supporters of the legislation had a press conference on the Capitol steps, Reps. Julie Brixie (D-Okemos) and Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) spoke in favor of the bills, and Hood started conversations with leadership that action on these bills and others would need to be prioritized for them to be able to count on her vote on other policies.    

Hood told MIRS that she and her colleagues are mourning the loss of the pastor, who she said is one of too many pedestrians and bicyclists who are dying because of poor road design and distracted driving. 

“It tracks that Rep. Hall would politicize this senseless tragedy to spread hate, disinformation, and confusion through partisan media channels,” Hood said. “If Rep. Hall really cared about safe roads and families, he would help pass Drive SAFE and other priority pieces of lame duck policy that will improve the lives of Michiganders." 

Hood added that since there aren’t federal laws in place that hold undocumented immigrants to the same licensing standards, the Drive SAFE package would extend the ability for all drivers to be licensed, insured and trained to operate vehicles.  

Similarly, in an interview for an unreleased episode of the MIRS Monday Podcast, Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) said that Hall’s argument works in reverse: Other states that have granted driver’s licenses regardless of legal status have seen a decrease in traffic fatalities because all drivers need to pass a driver’s test and get car insurance.  

“Thank you to future speaker Matt Hall for helping make the point that, actually, it is really important that we pass this legislation so that we can actually increase safety on the road,” Chang said. 

Chang is a sponsor of one of the bills in the Senate’s Drive SAFE package. For the rest of her comments on how immigration is politicized, tune into the next episode of the podcast today.