All undocumented Californians can now obtain state ID under new law

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Are you undocumented and have you had problems in California for not having an ID? Your problems will be left behind.

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new law that all Californians, regardless of their immigration status, can use an ID.

The new bill, AB 1766, will now allow anyone to obtain a California ID, regardless of immigration status or the ability to drive.

Applicants can use the ID to obtain work, open a bank account, access healthcare and secure housing, obtain benefits, and more.

“Lack of identification is one of the largest barriers to success into the community because IDs are essential to securing employment, housing, and social services,” said Assemblymember Stone. “AB 1766 is an essential gateway to social inclusion and should be a basic necessity that every resident has access to.”

“There are approximately 2.7 million undocumented people in California with an estimated 2.6 million people are over the age of 15.1,” according to the California Immigrant Policy Center. “Since more than a million people have obtained a driver’s license under AB 60, there are approximately 1.6 million undocumented people who are eligible and could benefit from having a state government-issued identification card.”

The DMV is expected to begin issuing California IDs to undocumented people beginning in 2024.

“This bill brings equity to those who have been unable to access basic life essentials because they have no legally recognized identification,” said Assemblyman Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer. “What many of us take for granted — having an ID — will have life-changing ramifications for many in the immigrant and disabled communities.”