Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News)- Tony Vartas is one of many struggling immigrants in Central New York who has a hard time getting to work every day. Catching a city bus to work in the fields isn’t quite an option for him.
Vartas along with 10,000 undocumented farmers are pushing for equal access to driver’s licenses.
“Depending on where you live you don’t have access to public transportation, so having access to a drivers license and car is a necessity, not a privilege,” Vartas said.
Organizations throughout Central New York such as New York Immigration Coalition and the Workers Center of CNY are working with the Green Light NY: Driving Together campaign to expand access to drivers’ licenses to all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status.
Central New York has a very active participation in the Green Light coalition because of its high immigrant population and the area’s inadequate public transportation system.
Fabiola Ortiz Valdez, a Manager of Member Engagement at the New York Immigration Coalition, says denying undocumented immigrants a license puts them at a higher risk.
“If you don’t allow people to work, then you’re going to enhance their isolation and there is going to be lost economic opportunity for the state,” she said.
Rebecca Fuentes, a lead organization for the Workers Center, agrees that a driver’s license will only benefit the rest of the population.
“Most of the immigrants in Upstate New York are very important for our community, not only for the economy, but they are the people who work in the fields,” she said.
Lucky for most undocumented New Yorkers, Valdez says the campaign has been extremely successful so far. With 68 Assembly members and 25 Senators on board with the legislation, the state is waiting for just a few more supporters from the New York State government.
“Hopefully with the turn of the Senate, this will become a reality,” Valdez said. “Now that the Democrats have the majority we are holding all of those elected officials accountable.”
New York is looking to become the 13th state to give this type of access to undocumented immigrants.
“If we can make their lives a little bit easier, we should,” Fuentes said. “Having a driver’s license is one step towards this.”
