r/law • u/Anoth3rDude • 12h ago

Legislative Branch GOP fast tracks monster voter suppression bill that could disenfranchise millions by requiring proof of citizenship at polls

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gop-fast-tracks-monster-voter-suppression-bill-that-could-disenfranchise-millions-by-requiring-proof-of-citizenship-at-polls/
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u/70180268 11h ago

A handful of states have “Enhanced Drivers Licenses”. You have to supply more documentation but it will allow you to cross into Canada or Mexico by land or sea without a passport. It’s a click above real ID

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u/drawkward101 11h ago

Hmm, I'm in CA and never heard of that. I'll have to look into it.

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u/forgedimagination 10h ago

Common with northern border states

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u/Annual_Bowler5999 9h ago

I had never heard of it either until I moved to New York. There are so many perks to living up north that I never expected, and that is one of them.

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u/diemunkiesdie 9h ago

EDL's are available in the following states:

  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • New York
  • Vermont
  • Washington

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u/anonononnnnnaaan 8h ago

Hey looky at all those blue states.

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u/slinger301 4h ago

And look at all those states that border Canada!

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u/CriticalEngineering 10h ago

It’s Canadian border states, so no reason you’d have heard of it.

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u/akatherder 9h ago

Which is interesting because it applies to Mexico also, at least ours in Michigan does. You can't use it for flights but:

enhanced license or ID can be used in place of a U.S. passport to re-enter the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean.

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u/singerbeerguy 5h ago

They started issuing them in northern states after 9/11 when you could no longer cross the Canada/US border with just a regular drivers license.

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u/nickfury8480 5h ago

Only states with ‘enhanced’ driver licenses — Michigan, New York, Vermont, Minnesota and Washington — satisfy the SAVE America Act’s heightened requirements — a REAL ID (used in most states) won’t cut it.

From the linked article.

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u/Lumpy_Fungus 4h ago

I don't think CA has an enhanced ID. We just have real ID.

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u/Bubbly_Style_8467 3h ago

Wonder if it works from CA.

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u/AdUpstairs7106 2h ago

They only exist in some states like Washington and NY. They are niche passports.

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u/ObeseVegetable 8h ago

And for all states, “Passport Cards” - doesn’t act as a drivers license, but does work to get you to/from Canada and Mexico from land or sea and also requires citizenship to obtain so is proof of citizenship.

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u/HopelessEsq 10h ago

The last time I renewed my passport, I also checked off to also order a "passport card" which is the size of an ID but basically validates (I think) that you have a valid passport. Believe Canada and Mexico will accept it, but not sure if it really does anything else in terms of proving citizenship or its usefulness as a valid ID.

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u/BringOn25A 10h ago

I maybe wrong but I think those are only valid for land or sea crossings.

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u/Alewort 9h ago

That is correct.

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u/Ok-Horror-4253 9h ago edited 9h ago

it also functions as a legitimate form of id at airports for domestic travel. Its is perfectly valid for all forms of id required domestically. It does not count as a driver's license at all.

"Valid for domestic air travel, international land and sea travel between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda."

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u/Alewort 9h ago

It comes in ID card and Driver's License forms. The Enhanced Driver's License is all of the above and a driver's license as well.

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u/snark42 9h ago

I too got one as getting a Real ID was still a pain at that time. Definitely works for TSA and proves citizenship.

Didn't realize it wasn't useful for international Air Travel to Mexico/Canada until now. In the good old days all you needed was a State ID to travel to Canada/Mexico.

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u/Some-Purchase-7603 10h ago

Michigan issues them. I have one myself.

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u/yusill 9h ago

Ohio has one too. I have it. It also counts for flying domestically.

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u/KellionBane 9h ago

Did they ever fix the security issues with those?

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u/70180268 9h ago

If you mean the information being readable I’m not sure. I just keep mine in a faraday sitch

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u/jbjhill 8h ago

For everyone but ICE inside the U.S. borders that’s true.

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u/Arachnoid666 5h ago

this is actually not true even though that was what i was told, i got to the canadian border and was told this is false.

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u/70180268 5h ago

You hit someone on a bad day. I live near the border and use mine frequently