Sen. Husted calls for national ban on driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants
COLUMBUS – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) this week wrote to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging the departments to prohibit states from issuing “drive-only” driver’s licenses to individuals who cannot demonstrate lawful immigration status.
On Aug. 29, 2026, an Ohioan was killed in a car crash in Fulton County, Ohio. The other driver, Washington G. Naula Ochoa, was an illegal immigrant who had obtained a “drive-only” license in Connecticut. Ochoa has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide.
A “drive-only” license is a type of driver’s license issued by some states to individuals who cannot demonstrate lawful immigration status or provide a Social Security number. Ohio’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles has maintained requirements limiting the issuance of Ohio driver’s licenses to U.S. citizens and lawful residents.
In his letter, Husted urged the departments to establish the same standard nationwide as Ohio and prevent states from issuing driver’s licenses to individuals who cannot demonstrate lawful immigration status.
“I write to urge your departments to take swift and decisive action to prohibit state Departments of Motor Vehicles from issuing driver’s licenses to individuals who cannot provide documentation of their lawful presence in the United States, commonly referred to as ‘drive-only’ licenses. Currently, nineteen states and the District of Columbia allow illegal immigrants to obtain ‘drive-only’ driver’s licenses,” wrote the lawmaker.
“On August 29, 2026, an Ohio resident tragically lost their life following a car accident in which Washington G. Naula Ochoa, an illegal immigrant who entered the United States without inspection, failed to yield at a stop sign,” he continued.
“Despite being illegally present in the United States, Washington G. Naula Ochoa obtained a ‘drive-only’ license from the state of Connecticut,” he wrote.
“In the state of Ohio, individuals must provide documentary proof of citizenship or lawful presence in the United States to receive any state identification card, including driver’s licenses,” he wrote.
“Federal regulations can build on this work and prohibit states from issuing driver’s licenses of any kind to illegal immigrants, and incentivize states to follow Ohio’s lead in designating noncitizen status on driver’s licenses granted to lawfully present noncitizens,” he continued.
“The ‘drive-only’ initiatives for illegal immigrants championed by state governments across the country are not merely lapses in judgment; they are extensions of failed immigration policies that place Americans at risk. Thank you again for your commitment to protecting the American people. I urge you to act swiftly to ensure that no other family is devastated by the consequences of these failed policies,” he concluded.
State Rights?
States that issued licenses did so because a licensed driver was deemed better than unlicensed. State rights were relevant. California, Texas, and Florida employ the most undocumented workers. Estimates are over 8 million undocumented workers in the US economy. Construction leads with 1.5 million. Enforcement by ICE and Homeland Security is lax. US Chamber of Commerce supports immigration reform. No progress here. Undocumented workers fill the demand for labor. Employers use staffing agencies to hire these workers. To avoid the laws. Undocumented workers pay 96 billion in taxes per recent estimates. Taxes paid by workers which will never collect benefits including unemployment. Be careful what you wish for Senator Husted. Your campaign contributions very likely come from employers desparate for labor. California is Democratic strong. Yet Texas and Florida are Republican strong. The service sector is strong in all three states. Before banning driver licenses, enforce the federal laws on hiring undocumented labor. ICE is not deporting the worst of the worst. Spouses of US citizens and asylum seekers with no criminal records are subjected to deportation. Immigration reform is the can continually kicked down the road. The US economy needs the undocumented labor if the economy is to grow at 3% as a number one goal of the US Chamber of Commerce.