California’s plan to share sensitive data about undocumented immigrants with a national database raises significant concerns about privacy and potential deportation risks, breaking promises made to over one million license holders. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) intends to share this information with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) as part of compliance with the Real ID Act.
Passed in 2013, Assembly Bill 60 allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, ensuring their information would not be used against them. Advocates now fear that this new data-sharing initiative undermines those commitments. Tracy Rosenberg, an immigration advocate, expressed her dismay: “It’s unclear how extreme the danger people are being put into by this decision but there’s no doubt we told people with AB 60 licenses this would never happen, but it’s happening, and that’s a direct betrayal.”
The California DMV has requested $55 million to implement the necessary infrastructure for this data-sharing plan. Critics argue that sharing such sensitive information poses an increased risk of deportation for those who have relied on the protections promised under AB 60. Ed Hasbrouck, an expert on immigration issues, warned that once this data is uploaded to AAMVA, “it’s out of California’s control, no matter what California wants, no matter what protests we may make.”
Despite California’s long-standing non-compliance with the Real ID Act without consequences, this shift appears politically motivated rather than a legal necessity at this time. The placeholder value ‘99999’ will represent individuals without a Social Security number in the database—further complicating their situation.
Pedro Rios from the American Friends Service Committee called it a “betrayal of California’s commitment to protect and defend all its residents,” especially those holding AB 60 licenses. As advocates rally against this decision, the long-term implications on safety and privacy for undocumented immigrants remain uncertain.
