NORTHAMPTON — For Claudia Rosales, getting a driver’s license in Massachusetts has been a decade in the making.

“I’m just waiting to get my birth certificate, because my old one expired,” said Rosales, who came to the United States from El Salvador in 2013 and currently serves as the executive director for Pioneer Valley Workers Center in Northampton. “As soon as I get my new birth certificate, I’m going to be able to start the process, hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Rosales is one of tens of thousands of immigrants without permanent legal status residing in the state who are now eligible to receive a valid driver’s license under the Work and Family Mobility Act (WFMA), which took effect July 1. Massachusetts became the 18th state to officially adopt a policy allowing immigrants lacking permanent legal status to obtain driver’s licenses, joining other states such as Connecticut, New York and Vermont.

The law was long sought by advocacy groups across the state, including the Center for New Americans in Northampton, which provides educational services for newly arrived immigrants to the United States.

“There isn’t a lot of robust transportation in western Mass. So if you cannot drive and you live on a bus schedule, which changes in the summer and on holidays, you either don’t get to work or you don’t get your children to school,” said Laurie Millman, the executive director for the Center for New Americans. “That’s the realities of transportation in a predominantly rural area.”

Rosales said the law gives migrants a level of security while operating a vehicle, reducing the risk of a run-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“People ended up in custody just because they would be pulled over by local police and  they would be funneled to ICE,” she said. “Now, people are going to be able to drive without being fearful of being deported.”

However, those now eligible face navigating the bureaucracy of the Registry of Motor Vehicles and undergoing the application process — potentially a headache for any driver in the state, let alone one with uncertain legal status.

Javier Luengo-Garrido, an organizing strategist and community advocate with the ACLU of Massachusetts, assists those newly eligible for licenses on what they need to bring and prepare ahead of going to the RMV.

“Most of the immigrant community, when they make that appointment, they’re going to have to take the day off,” Luengo-Garrido said. “These are people who work below the minimum wage. And we really want to make sure they don’t have to go a second time.”

Luengo-Garrido, however, credited the RMV for its cooperation in ensuring that the licensing process for migrants goes smoothly. The registry is offering materials in up to 15 languages, with permits available in 35 languages and interpreters speaking more than 100 languages. The agency has also added a temporary phone line for questions related to the new law.

“They [the RMV] have been really collaborative and thoughtful about this,” he said. “I really appreciate the work they’re doing to deploy all the resources to do whatever is needed for immigrants to be able to access the new process.”

Immigrants applying for a license need to bring a passport, a document such as a birth or marriage certificate, a document to prove they live in Massachusetts such as a lease agreement or medical bill, a Social Security number if they have one (or a signed testimonial saying they’ve never had one), and certified translations of any documents not in English.

Because there are other states where immigrants without legal status can obtain licenses, it is also possible to transfer a valid license from another state to a Massachusetts one, without the need for a written or road test. In addition, citizens of certain countries, including Mexico, France and South Korea holding driver’s licenses from those countries are eligible to transfer them over to U.S. ones.

For someone without a license, a learner’s permit is required. According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Registry of Motor Vehicles received 42,000 requests for learner’s permit appointments within the first two days of the new law taking effect. Applicants will need to make appointments ahead of time for both their learner’s permit exam, which costs $30, and for their road test, which costs $35. Both appointments should be made online at mass.gov/myRMV.

“As new communities interact with the RMV, we want to ensure a welcoming, supportive experience,” said Gina Fiandaca, the state’s transportation secretary, in a statement. “We are working hard to provide as many resources as possible and we look forward to continuing to serve all communities in Massachusetts.”

Although the new law represents a victory for immigration rights in the state, there is still work to be done.

“Just because you get a permit doesn’t mean you can practice driving,” Millman said. “So one of things we’re thinking of doing for our current students is to help out a little bit with driving lessons.”

Beyond helping migrants through the process of obtaining licenses, the Pioneer Valley Workers Center is turning its focus toward gaining better work opportunities for them. 

“We’re looking for a way on how members of our community, and immigrants coming to the U.S., can they get a work permit, so they can provide for their families,” Rosales said.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.

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