NORTHAMPTON — For many, meeting basic needs and daily activities such as school, work, groceries and doctor’s appointments are daunting tasks without a car. But for numerous undocumented immigrants, a driver’s license — and these necessities — are out of reach, vastly complicating everyday life.
On Tuesday, local advocates, legislators and even the area’s chief prosecutor gathered at the Pioneer Valley Workers Center in support of the Work and Family Mobility Act, which would allow people of any immigration status to obtain a standard Massachusetts driver’s license. To obtain a Massachusetts license currently, individuals must provide proof of citizenship or lawful residency.
The bill, which is currently under consideration by the state’s Joint Committee on Transportation, must be favorably moved out of committee by Feb. 5 to be considered for a vote by the Legislature.
Addressing the crowd in Spanish through a translator, Hodaliz Borrayez, an organizer with the Workers Center, highlighted driver’s licenses as necessities.
“Everyone has a right to have one, and a right to drive safely,” Borrayez said.
Immigrants and people of color face added risks when they cannot obtain a license, she said.
“Often, people in my community are pulled over unfairly,” said Borrayez, a daughter of Guatemalan immigrants. “They’re racially profiled, and then they get caught up in the immigration system.”
Some speakers noted that a driver’s license is particularly vital in rural areas like western Massachusetts, where public transportation is particularly limited.
State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa said the legislation stands out to her as one that has prompted “a mountain of letters” on her desk from children explaining why it’s important for their parents to be able to drive.
“This piece of legislation is an easy thing to support, because it means something to our community,” Sabadosa said. “It makes people’s lives better in real, tangible ways.”
In addition to protecting undocumented immigrants, the bill would also improve general roadway safety by increasing the number of people driving with a valid license.
But the bill is about “more than public safety,” said Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, who called the legislation “long overdue.”
“What it does is say we are going to have everybody recognized as a human being,” Sullivan said of the bill.
The event also included remarks from Workers Center members and organizers, state Rep. Natalie Blais, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts Douglas Fisher, and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459 Vice President Jeff Jones.
A representative relayed a message from Vincent Jackson, president of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce, and Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper was also in attendance.
Fifteen other states, including Connecticut, Vermont and New York, have already enacted similar legislation.
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.