Texas has always prided itself on straight talk and straight roads. So when the Department of Motor Vehicles tightened identification rules for vehicle registrations last week, it was less a plot twist than a logical turn signal. Starting Nov. 18, anyone buying, registering, or renewing a vehicle must show a valid photo ID proving legal status: a Texas driver's license, U.S. passport, or similar from federal agencies. No more loopholes. It's a small fix with large ripples, one that Rep. Brian Harrison rightly championed.
Harrison, a Republican from Midlothian, didn't stumble on this by accident. A tip led him to verify that undocumented immigrants were slipping through cracks to title cars, a practice that jacked up insurance rates and left roads riskier for everyone.
This is what WINNING looks like! You're welcome, Texas!
— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) November 25, 2025
Excerpts from @HoustonChron: Hundreds of thousands of Texans without legal status can no longer register or renew vehicle registrations after the state quietly tightened ID requirements...
The Texas Department of Motor… pic.twitter.com/Pyc0tKi39g
In Texas, it is routine to see cars being shipped to Mexico by 18-wheelers — probably brought by cash with no proof of i.d. Harrison fired off a letter to the DMV and Gov. Greg Abbott's office, and became, by his count, the lone elected Republican sounding the alarm. Credit where it's due: In a state with 1.7 million undocumented residents, that's not chasing headlines; it's enforcing the fine print of the law.
This was a serious public safety threat
— Kenny Webster (@KennethRWebster) November 25, 2025
Kudos to @brianeharrison and his followers for getting it fixed https://t.co/2BIiSz9hBC
Yet critics, predictably, see malice in the mundane. An Austin insurance agent frets over panicked calls, claiming this strands families without wheels for groceries or jobs. A law professor at Texas A&M points to asylum seekers and fading DACA holders who pay taxes, but now face expired tags. And the Texas Civil Rights Project warns of a flood of ghost cars, making us all less safe. Fair points on the optics. Texas isn't a walkable utopia; cars are lifelines there. But let's not conflate enforcement with eviction.
Only after @brianeharrison called them out, and they had no defense for giving illegals drivers licenses. https://t.co/52sywnYTYf
— Suzanne Martis 🇺🇸 🇺🇲 🇺🇲 🎶 (@SuzanneMartis) November 26, 2025
READ MORE: Democrats Are Euthanizing Their Own Pet Issue of Public Transportation
Illegal Immigrants Allegedly Fleeing Florida After New Driver's License Law Goes Into Effect
The real cruelty lies in the status quo, where federal inaction dumps costs onto states like Texas. Undocumented drivers, often uninsured, contribute to the 10 percent spike in insurance premiums Texans have swallowed over five years, per insurance data. They clog emergency rooms and strain public services, all while skirting the very rules citizens follow.
Harrison's push isn't about rounding up families; it's about parity: If you're here legally, drive legally. If not, the privileges of ownership must come with proof. This is federalism at work. Washington dithers on borders; Austin steps up. Abbott's team has bused migrants to blue cities and sued over sanctuary policies, but vehicle titles? That's kitchen table governance. It weeds out fraud without fanfare, ensuring the system serves those who built it.
Advocates cry foul, yet their solution often boils down to their feelings, resulting in more amnesty and fewer questions. That erodes trust rather than building it. Harrison nailed it on Twitter: Outrage at the old way, action on the new. Following years when border encounters hit records, Texas can't afford half measures. This rule says roads are for rule followers. It's sharp, sensible, and overdue.
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