HASSO HERING

A perspective from Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley

DMV still hassles citizens

Written July 1st, 2013 by
Unless you can prove legal presence, renewing your license is still a big hassle.

Unless you can prove legal presence, renewing your license is still a big hassle.

The state of Oregon continues to cause trouble for some people trying to renew their driver licenses. There’s no rational reason for this, but legislators have not seen fit to order a change. The problem is that Oregon requires people renewing their licenses to prove their legal presence in the United States. This is quite a nuisance to drivers who have been citizens all their lives but can’t easily get the paperwork acceptable as proof.

If you once obtained a U.S. passport, for example, you had to have proof of citizenship. But the state DMV says this doesn’t count if the passport has been expired for more than five years. Passports are good for 10 years. Renewing them is expensive, so unless you need to, you likely don’t renew it. But so what? If you were a citizen 15 years ago, why isn’t that good enough to show that you still are?

Also, state officials keep insisting that no illegal aliens vote. So if you have registered as an Oregon voter and especially if you have actually voted, that should be prima facie evidence that you have a legal right to be present in the United States. But the DMV does not see it that way.

Our lawmakers have voted to let illegal aliens get permits to drive. But as for citizens, no dice — unless they have proof, which sometimes is hard and expensive to get. (hh)

From Joe Alvernaz, via Facebook; I’m in the middle of this hassle right now, and I asked all the same issues you mentions. Quite a pain.
However, in defense of the guy behind the counter, he was very understanding and helpful. I at least got a temporary permit allowing me to drive while I wait for paperwork. In and out in 5 minutes.

From Brian Berkley, via Facebook: Since when does the state do anything for the native-born citizens? They go out of their way to make it easier for people here illegally to obtain state services and identification so as to keep the powers that be in power. It has ceased being a “Government of the People, By the People, and For the People.”


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