Heated testimony as committee considers bill invalidating licenses issued to people not lawfully present

Senator Bob Anderson introduced LB886, which would make any driver’s license (including commercial driver licenses) issued to a person not lawfully present in the United States invalid in Nebraska. Anderson framed the bill as a public safety measure and cited federal CDL requirements (Title 49 and 49 CFR 383.71) that he said bar undocumented drivers from holding CDLs.

Opponents urged rejection. Spike Eickholt of the ACLU of Nebraska and the Nebraska Criminal Defense Attorneys Association testified LB886 would invite law enforcement to query immigration status based on out‑of‑state licenses and could lead to prolonged stops, racial profiling and selective enforcement. It was argued that evidence from other states shows broader licensing access can improve road safety and reduce uninsured driving. Itzél Lopez, a DACA recipient and CEO of the Latino Economic Development Council, said invalidating such licenses would reduce insurance coverage and make roads less safe.

Legal and practical concerns about full faith and credit, administrative compacts and constitutional exposure were raised by Nebraska Appleseed and others. Questions to the sponsor and witnesses examined whether the policy duplicates existing federal law governing CDLs, whether the state can or should treat out‑of‑state licenses as invalid, and how courts or interstate compacts might respond. Senators also probed how the bill would affect populations with temporary or humanitarian parole (e.g., Ukrainians under past Nebraska statutory adjustments).

No final vote was taken; the hearing included extensive opposition testimony and legal questions the committee indicated may require further study.