Florida immigration crackdown tied to increase in arrests of unlicensed drivers

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:00]Immigration attorneys on the Treasure Coast say their phones are ringing off the hook.

[00:00:04]>> Arrests for driving without a license have more than doubled in parts of our area, and attorneys say a wave of new Florida laws is all to blame. TBS 12 reporter Tiffany Rizzo in Martin County now breaking down what's driving the spike.

[00:00:17]I'm here at the DMV in Stuart, where everyday people walk in hoping to get a Florida driver's license. But for some immigrants, that process has gotten much harder. The test is now English only, and some don't even have the documents needed to take it. Driving without a license in Florida isn't just a ticket.

[00:00:34]It's a second-degree misdemeanor that can lead to jail time. If you don't have a driver's license, you shouldn't be driving. I mean, I tell that to my clients all the time. But attorney Richard Huber says that's not stopping them from getting behind the wheel. You drive in Florida for the most part, so it's really tough for my clients that have to who have to work, who have kids.

[00:00:53]>> With more crashes, uninsured motorists, and questions about whether some drivers understand traffic rules, Florida's been cracking down. In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law blocking undocumented immigrants from getting driver's licenses. And earlier this year, the state announced driver's test would be given in English only. No interpreters, no translations.

[00:01:16]Frankly, it's going to limit a lot of people that don't speak a word of English from even taking the test.

[00:01:20]They're not even going to try. Huber says that's leading to more people driving without licenses and more arrests across the Treasure Coast. It's it's causing more arrests and encounters, detentions, ICE holds. And they're using the excuse of an inspection. It's a commercial vehicle.

[00:01:35]Let's say if you pass the inspection, but of course at the same time they're asking for papers. So, and a lot of it is racial profiling. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office pushed back on any suggestion this is about immigration, saying the increase is tied to population growth and more traffic enforcement. The agency also said deputies make traffic stops based on observed violations, not race or ethnicity. And the Martin County Sheriff's Office says if you're driving without a valid license, whether you're illegal or not, you'll be arrested.

[00:02:05]Attorneys and Sheriff's Offices agree, if you don't have a license, don't drive. With Florida making it harder than ever to get one, more people are taking the risk. Reporting in Stuart, I'm Tiffany Rizzo, CBS 12 News.