Immigration crackdown sparks fear over driving privilege cards in Utah
Apr 23, 2025, 10:53 AM
FILE: People social distance as they wait in line to get into the Driver License Division office in West Valley City on Monday, June 29, 2020. Steve Griffin, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s refugees and immigrants are questioning whether they should apply for a driving privilege card due to fear brought on by the current immigration crackdown.
Utah’s driving privilege card allows individuals without legal status to drive and obtain car insurance. For some, however, applying for or renewing a card now feels risky.
Attorney Jim McConkie with the Refugee Justice League says his clients are torn.
“ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and DHS (Department of Homeland Security) are going after people that are legally here who have a right to be in the country, but they’re not honoring the law,” he said.
According to McConkie, even refugees with legal status are seeing deportation threats — leaving many to ask if following the law is even worth the risk.
“And so the question is, when they go up there to get it, will there be an ICE agent there to pick them up? And of course, that’s impossible to know,” said McConkie.
Eric Cabrera is a reporter for KSL NewsRadio. You can follow him on Instagram.
Related reading:
- ICE detaining immigrants on probation during court-ordered check-ins
- Utah immigration lawyer directed to self-deport despite being a citizen
- Next steps for international students in Utah with revoked visas
