BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A Cal Matters article published Tuesday says the California DMV will hand over driver's license records — including data on undocumented immigrants — to a non-profit organization where it could be accessible to federal immigration authorities to comply with REAL ID laws passed in 2005.
The state says the outlet got it wrong.
The article highlights the state's requirement to share driver's license data with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, known as AAMVA, in order to comply with REAL ID laws. That data would include records belonging to undocumented immigrants who hold California licenses.
The issue stems from a briefing held by the California DMV and the governor's office. Advocates who participated in the briefing fear the federal government will attempt to subpoena data that could potentially be used to identify a person's immigration status through local channels that have access to the AAMVA.
In a post on X, the governor's press office called the article's implication that the state is handing the data to the federal government false, pointing to the fact that federal immigration agencies have no access to the data and that it is governed by the states.
A spokesperson for the governor's press office said:
"CalMatters got it wrong – their reporting hurts vulnerable Californians by manufacturing fear and panic with lies. California continues to lead in supporting immigrant families and protecting personal data from federal overreach."
The article also noted that the movement of the information is dependent on the state's budgeting process, as the DMV is requesting $55 million to transfer the data.
Links to the Cal Matters article and the governor's press office post are included below.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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