Illinois Driver License and ID Cards for Migrants

Migrants may find it challenging to obtain driver licenses and identity cards due to stringent requirements, so it’s crucial that their information remains up-to-date and correct. One way you can ensure this happens is bringing all necessary immigration documents at renewal or whenever any details need changing, such as name or address change requests.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the state has implemented central issuance and upgraded security features into their new driver license/ID cards, including raised images and text that can be felt. These upgrades should help prevent identity theft, forgery, and fraud.

Illinois’ switch to central issuance brings us up to 84% compliance with REAL ID, the Department of Homeland Security’s mandate for improving physical DL/ID security. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as starting in 2025 federal agencies will no longer accept noncompliant IDs for official identification purposes.

Current states fully compliant with REAL ID feature an ID card bearing a gold star in the upper right-hand corner, making them suitable for use by federal agencies for official purposes such as entering secure federal buildings and domestic flights. Over time, this type of ID will become necessary for accessing certain state benefits or applying for legal residency status; states which issue non-REAL IDs with identifiable features should ensure through regulation that officials don’t discriminate against people based solely on whether their DL/ID displays the golden circle and inset star symbol or not.