The leader of the state agency that issues driver’s licenses and state identification cards said he wants to set the record straight when it comes to the process immigrants use to get those cards. This comes after rumors of Haitian immigrants in Springfield causing dangerous situations on roads.
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Registrar Charlie Norman said 2,353 Haitian immigrants in Clark County have driver’s licenses. And to get them, he said they must provide documentation to get a license – just like everyone else.
“There’s no shortcut or exception on testing for the immigrant community," Norman said. "They have to go through the same exact process as a native Ohioan."
Norman said while a native Ohioan might use a birth certificate for identification, a Haitian immigrant would use a different form of ID in the process.
“An immigrant attempting to get a credential, an ID or (driver's license), has to provide us with original copies of their immigration paperwork," Norman said. "We check that there at the counter, the point of service, through an electronic check with the USCIS database to verify validity and authenticity."
However, Norman said immigrants are processed with paperwork that does not require citizenship so they are not offered an opportunity to register to vote.
Gov. Mike DeWine said Haitians have limited access to cars in their home country so when they come here, they lack driver training. DeWine said he will boost opportunities for driver education and try to overcome language barriers that contribute to driver confusion.
“The Ohio Traffic Safety Office has been on the ground in Clark county in the past year, working with the community there, providing driver training resources, doing specification creole driver training classes. They have created instructional resources and instructional aids in Haitian creole," Norman said.
Ohio currently doesn't require driver education training for anyone over 18 years old.
