Lawmakers in Oklahoma are gearing up for the upcoming legislative session, where they will be examining a multitude of bills. Among these is a proposed measure that seeks to render driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants from other states invalid in Oklahoma. This move aims to address the issue of undocumented immigrants having access to driver’s licenses in the state.
Representative Molly Jenkins, a Republican from Coyle, firmly stated that individuals who enter the United States illegally are indeed breaking the law. She expressed her belief that such individuals should not be rewarded for their actions, emphasizing that driving in the state of Oklahoma is a privilege rather than a right.
Jenkins wrote the Respect for Citizens Act of 2025, also known as House Bill 1043.
The proposed legislation takes inspiration from an existing law in Florida and aims to prohibit undocumented immigrants from operating vehicles using licenses issued in other states.
According to the National Immigration Law Center, a total of 19 states, along with the District of Columbia, have enacted laws that grant undocumented immigrants the opportunity to obtain a driver’s license.
“Those licenses will not be valid in the state of Oklahoma, and they will be issued a citation in the event that they are driving on our roads,” said Jenkins. “When I went door to door, the people in my district spoke loudly and clearly… They do not want illegals driving on our streets.”
According to Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval (D-Oklahoma City), he has expressed his disagreement with the bill, stating that he finds it “problematic.”
“A bill like this only erodes public safety,” said Alonso-Sandoval. “It also erodes trust that law enforcement has really tried to build up within the immigrant community.”
The bill’s potential impact on discouraging undocumented immigrants from reporting crimes and potentially wasting police officers’ time is a cause for concern.
“They introduce bills like this that don’t really bring any real solutions, but are all fear based and out there to just divide our communities from their neighbors,” said Alonso-Sandoval.
The effective date for HB 1043, if it is approved, will be November 1, 2025.