Baker talks immigrants, new licenses & multilingual RMV

Gov. Charlie Baker sat down with members of the ethnic media for a discussion that largely focused on immigrants and non-English speakers.

Governor Charlie Baker and members of his administration sat down with reporters last week for a discussion that centered on immigrants and non-English speakers, and touched on health care, infrastructure grants and job training. On the horizon: stricter proof-of-lawful-residence requirements for ID cards and driver’s licenses and a more multilingual-friendly Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Stricter ID reqs

Federal REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses are coming to Massachusetts, with rollout anticipated for 2018, according to Erin Deveney, Registrar of Motor Vehicles. To obtain these, applicants must either provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, or evidence of legal immigration status. An ID’s validity will expire when the immigration approval does.

While the state will offer an alternative Massachusetts license, this, too, will require applicants to prove they have a lawful presence in the state.

In October 2020, the federal government will require REAL ID-compliant identification from anyone seeking to board an airplane or enter a federal facility. The noncompliant Massachusetts licenses will not qualify for these purposes.

Deveney said that Massachusetts will not impose any stricter regulations on what qualifies as an acceptable immigration status beyond what the federal government outlines. When asked what this will mean for immigrants brought over illegally as children, Deveney said the state will defer to the federal government.

“Massachusetts will not be making determinations as to what are acceptable immigration statuses,” Deveney told reporters. “We’ll take direction from the federal government as to which types of immigration statuses we’ll be able to accept.”

Baker said blocking those without lawful presence from receiving licenses is an important safety measure.

“We’ve said all along that if people have a lawful presence here, they can get a license. If they don’t have a lawful presence, they can’t,” Baker said. “That’s been the policy of Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a very long time. The reason we have REAL ID is terrible individuals used loopholes to accessing a driver’s license to access other things. Until someone comes up with a way to bullet-proof this, we’re not going to change our policy.”

A more multilingual RMV

Meanwhile, the state is working to make driver’s licenses more accessible to non-native English speakers. The automated, computer-based version of the permit test currently only is available in English and Spanish, while speakers of other languages must schedule in-person tests and wait to receive their scores.

Now the RMV is rolling out electronic permit testing in 26 languages, including Haitian Creole, Somali, Burmese, American Sign Language and simplified and traditional Chinese. The tests are slated to become available Christmas week, in order to be ready for rise in demand that typically takes place between the holiday and New Years, Deveney said.

The language offerings were chosen based on the state’s assessment of which ones were in highest demand among its customers.

Complying with ICE

Baker praised the role of immigrants in shaping Massachusetts’s identity and cultural, education and economic successes and reiterated a commitment to keeping the state welcoming of diversity. He sought to allay concerns over state police’s compliance with federal Immigrant and Customs Enforcement detainment requests.

“Massachusetts has been and will remain a welcoming state, and our diversity in many respects is our strength,” Baker said. “We are a global community, and it’s been that global community that’s been a big supporter of what’s worked here and a big piece of who we are. There are a lot of companies operating in Massachusetts that were founded by people from other nations.”

Baker gave assurances that under policy, state police are only permitted to comply with ICE requests to temporarily detain a person when that person is a convicted violent criminal already held in custody for committing a state crime.

To be eligible for detainment, according to the law, an arrestee must have been convicted of an aggravated felony; felony (excluding a state- or local-level one in which immigration status was an essential element); significant misdemeanor (such as burglary or sexual abuse); three or more misdemeanors (excluding traffic offenses and state- or local-level offenses where immigration status was an essential element); or criminal gang-related offense. State officials also may comply with ICE detainment requests if the person is suspected of or engaged in terrorism or espionage or otherwise represents a danger to national security.

Responding to a member of the media who said he receives daily calls about people with no violent crime convictions being pulled over on their drive to work and deported, Baker said that represents a violation of the policy.

“[If such incidents happen] you need to tell us that. Because that is not consistent with our policy,” Baker said.

Other topics: Healthcare, MassWorks, STEM

Baker said there is strong support in Massachusetts for maintaining a high level of healthcare coverage. He anticipates the state government will be able to achieve this while accommodating any changes issued under the Trump administration.

“It is my hope and expectation that whatever adjustments are made to the Affordable Care Act, we here in Massachusetts will be able to incorporate those adjustments into what I think most people believe has been a pretty successful approach to making sure people in Massachusetts are covered,” he said.

Officials conducting the MassWorks program of infrastructure grants said the program had met its goals for such items as multifamily housing and gateway city support, and that demand for these grants outstrips supply. When awarding funds, the officials seek projects that could start almost immediately upon receipt of monies, and opportunities for grants to unlock accompanying private investments.

Lieutenant Gov. Karyn Polito spoke on the significance of furthering STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in order to respond to what many employers say is a shortfall in local supply of STEM-skilled workers. Matching local residents with open jobs can keep residents in the state, creating more stable communities, as well as advance residents’ economic prospects and prevent companies from having to find employees from outside Massachusetts.

One way officials are aiming to boost STEM-career readiness is through expanding the School to Career Connecting Activities program. This program places high school youth into internships that connect them with employers, provide hands-on training and learning, and allow students to determine if the career is a good fit for them.

Currently, 80 percent of the interns are people of color, Polity said. Officials are seeking to raise awareness and participation in the internship program, especially among communities of color, gateway communities and young women.