Tennessee Rolls Out New Driver’s Licenses Specifically For Non-Citizens

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

A new law went into effect Jan. 1 which requires non-U.S. citizens who are legal permanent residents in Tennessee to be issued a specific driver’s license designating them as such. 

HB6001/SB6002 says that any lawful permanent residents of the state who renew or reinstate an ID or driver’s license on or after New Year’s Day of 2026 must provide proof of U.S. citizenship. If they fail to do so, they will receive the new specially marked temporary form of identification.

House Majority Leader Rep. William Lamberth, who carried HB6001, said he anticipates the marking “will be a small x on there, similar to the way the restrictions are now for contact or something else, but that license would not be valid to register to vote or to actually vote.”

The new license requirement is part of a broader immigration omnibus bill passed as part of Gov. Lee’s special session called last year, and Republicans who supported the measure said the change was largely intended to protect election integrity by ensuring non-citizens cannot vote and to help determine voter eligibility. 

Under the new rules, temporary IDs issued to those who are not citizens but “whose presence in the United States has been authorized by the federal government of a specific purpose and specified period” will not be accepted as valid identification “where eligibility for a right of benefit is exclusive to the United States,” including voting. 

But this justification has struck a chord with Democrats and immigration attorneys who believe the law is discriminatory and unfairly stigmatizes migrants, especially those in the country legally. 

“As a practicing immigration attorney, my main concern is access to services, and when we think of services, I always think first of victims,” said Renata Castro, founder of the Florida-based immigration law firm USA4All. “I have even heard in the past, individuals who were treated differently by security guards in communities, residential communities, as they were entering as guests or service providers because their license said something like, ‘Temporary’. Imagine now that you have a scarlet letter of sorts on driver’s licenses and just the broad range of discrimination this could give rise to.”

And while Castro agreed that “we certainly do not want ineligible individuals voting,” she thinks “there has to be a better way than having people walking around with a branded document that says they are not a U.S. citizen.”

She also believes the law could soon be challenged in court, potentially as quickly as the next week, as some immigrant advocates have expressed concerns over Equal Protection and Due Process rights.

Democrat Rep. Aftyn Behn said, “When governments start drawing lines between who gets to move freely and who doesn’t based on immigration status, we’re not safeguarding public safety. We are resurrecting dangerous ideas from the past, dressed up in the language of the administrative state.”

Behn could have also been referencing two other new laws which went into effect Jan. 1, both dealing with non-citizen or illegal alien driver’s licenses. 

HB0749, now Public Chapter 288, criminalizes the use of out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to illegal aliens. The law makes it a Class B misdemeanor to operate a motor vehicle in Tennessee without a valid driver license, and out-of-state licenses that have been issued exclusively to illegal aliens will be designated as invalid.

The other new measure, HB0069, is aimed at further strengthening election integrity by creating new verification systems and requiring visual distinctions on the face of photo IDs, such as a color or font on the face of a photo ID license, to differentiate the class designation for the purpose of voting. These requirements must be met by January 1, 2028.

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.