Immigration (Driver Licenses & IDs)

HB 665 would revise Mississippi's driver's license requirements by allowing applicants without a Social Security number to use a sworn affidavit instead of providing one. It creates a new "Certificate for Driving" option and updates rules for proving residency during license applications. The bill also requires additional staff training for license examiners and specifies acceptable documents for verifying address. These changes would directly affect applicants, particularly those without Social Security numbers, by simplifying documentation for license issuance.

HB 47 prohibits knowingly transporting unauthorized immigrants into Mississippi as a felony punishable by 1-5 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. It also criminalizes forging government documents for unauthorized immigrants with similar penalties. The bill directly affects individuals who transport undocumented people or forge documents, while amending existing laws to strengthen enforcement (e.g., increasing penalties for E-Verify violations and restricting driver's licenses for unauthorized immigrants). It also clarifies that Mississippi agencies must cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and prohibits unauthorized immigrants from serving as labor representatives. The bill died in committee on February 4, 2025, and does not specify new public benefit restrictions beyond existing provisions.

HB 1538 prohibits Mississippi from issuing motor vehicle title certificates to individuals who are not U.S. citizens and use a non-U.S. passport to apply. It directly affects non-citizen residents attempting to title vehicles using foreign passports as identification. The bill amends existing title application rules to explicitly exclude non-U.S. passports as acceptable identification for non-citizens, requiring alternative proof of identity instead. This is a procedural change to the state's title application process under Section 63-21-15 of Mississippi law.