Abdul El-Sayed’s Stance on Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, once suggested that undocumented immigrants should be allowed to obtain driver’s licenses. He argued that denying them would be discriminatory. In a 2018 interview during his gubernatorial campaign, El-Sayed stated, “We’ve got to make sure that in this state we are not discriminating against documentation status. Right now, if you’re undocumented, you don’t get access to a driver’s license. You’re stuck.”

Now, as he seeks a Senate seat, the resurfaced clip highlights his previous views on interactions between local governments and undocumented immigrants. It also prompts discussions about whether providing state identification might legitimize their presence in the U.S.

Potential Impacts of Issuing Licenses

Hans von Spakovsky, an elections expert at Advancing American Freedom, explained that driver’s licenses serve as a substitute for a national ID card, which America lacks. Licenses can provide access to various government benefits. “Issuing driver’s licenses to aliens helps them in situations where a license is needed, from opening bank accounts to many other transactions,” said Spakovsky.

Spakovsky pointed out that documents like I-9 forms, which determine employment eligibility, often require only a license. He stated, “The key to getting aliens to self-deport would be to ensure that they cannot rent apartments, open bank accounts, and take all necessary steps to live and work in the U.S. Providing them driver’s licenses is a large step toward allowing them to easily live and work in the United States.”

El-Sayed’s Perspective

In the 2018 interview, El-Sayed expressed concern that illegal aliens might be ineligible for basic state services. “You don’t get access to a lot of the basic things that the state offers everybody else, and I think that’s ridiculous. We’ve got to stop discriminating that way,” he said.

Though El-Sayed has not embraced labels like “progressive” or “far-left,” he supports increased government involvement in areas such as affordability, infrastructure, and public services. He advocates for Medicare for all, opposes corporate tax benefits, and supports tuition-free higher education access. When discussing increasing governmental provisions with candidates like Zohran Mamdani, El-Sayed noted that he believes Democrats are heading in that direction.

“You’re seeing that kind of resonance here in Michigan for sure. And I’m not surprised that you’re seeing that in New York, too. Government ought to be available to set an equal playing field for everybody and to offer those basic things that everybody needs and deserves,” El-Sayed said in an interview.

El-Sayed’s campaign has not addressed how far the government should go in providing services to non-residents. It also did not comment on whether granting licenses to undocumented immigrants would tacitly approve their presence in the country.

El-Sayed will compete against Rep. Haley Stevens in the state’s primary election. The winner will proceed to the general election on November 3.