GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Wisconsin immigrant-rights group is touring the state.
Its members are working to give undocumented migrants the right to drive legally.
The tour kicked off Friday night in Green Bay.
“People are moving to friendlier places,” said Executive Director of Voces De La Frontera, Christine Neumann-Ortiz.
Wisconsin’s Voces De La Frontera is advocating for driving privileges for those living in the shadows of the law. Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz says there are about 32,000 undocumented families in Wisconsin.
“Something as high stakes as suddenly your loved one being taken from you, when you are doing what you can under the system that we have,” said Neumann-Ortiz.
At Green Bay’s Vida Nueva Methodist Church Friday Night, Neumann-Ortiz called it a risk many aren’t willing to take.
“While it may not fix the problem of federal immigration reform of the need or for humane immigration reform, it can at least address some of the fear that is happening in the community,” said Neumann-Ortiz.
A 2007 federal law blocked anyone without a social security number from getting a driver’s license. That law does let states offer drivers “cards” to undocumented immigrants.
“What that driver card does is, it does allows you to drive legally you can access good auto insurance but it doesn’t work as a federal ID to enter a federal building,” said Neumann-Ortiz
Governor Tony Evers proposed migrant driver’s cards in his February budget proposal.Republican State Senator Roger Roth had this to say at the time, “Immigration is an important issue, its got to be done and tackled at the federal level.”
In May, Republican Representative Jim Steineke responded to Evers proposal in a tweet saying “Illegal immigrants however, are breaking the law and we should not validate that by extending privileges.”
The proposal was taken out in the legislatures redraft of the budget, Republicans saying its not the place for such policy
With the help of Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich and law enforcement immigrant activists hope to get a bill into the hands of state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Neumann-Ortiz says it would benefit everyone in Wisconsin.
“Bring revenue as more people apply for drivers licenses. We’ll have safer roads and they’ll be just less fear in the community,” said Neumann-Ortiz.
The next stop for the town hall forums is in Wauwatosa, near Milwaukee, on July 7th.
