The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles has settled a complaint brought by a Jordanian national who alleged that DMV workers discriminated against him by alerting federal immigration officials after he applied for a driver’s privilege card.
The DMV allegedly violated Vermont’s Driver’s Privilege Card law, which allows undocumented immigrants living in Vermont to drive legally.
The DMV agreed to pay Abdel Razaq Rababah $40,000, change its driver’s license application, and provide training to prevent employees from engaging in discrimination. The DMV made other concessions as part of a deal with the Vermont Human Rights Commission and the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont.
“Actions like those taken against Mr. Rababah, based on his national origin, have a chilling effect on others who may wish to take advantage of this important program,” Human Rights Commissioner Karen Richards said in a prepared statement. “The public-interest relief obtained through this settlement will help to ensure that this vital benefit is available to those it is intended to serve without risk of immigration consequences.”
“We acknowledged we had made a couple mistakes and have already gone to work to correct them so they don’t occur,” DMV Commissioner Robert Ide said. “We hope that nothing like this happens again.”
The case centers on a 2014 law championed by immigrant groups and Vermont’s dairy industry, which employs migrant workers. It allows undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s privilege card. The law requires applicants to prove they live in Vermont — but not as legal U.S. residents.
Shortly after the law was implemented, Rababah, who had been living in Vermont for 10 years, went to his local DMV office in Dummerston to apply for a driver’s privilege card.
Though he had already received a provisional driver’s privilege card months earlier, Rababah was granted only a temporary card by DMV employees, who were “openly hostile” to him, the ACLU said. The DMV then initiated a fraud investigation against him that “was ultimately found to be based on a DMV employee’s alteration of his application,” the ACLU said.
The DMV also contacted federal immigration authorities, who told the DMV that Rababah was from a “country of interest” and had overstayed a student visa a decade earlier, the ACLU said.
Immigration officials asked the DMV to notify them if they saw Rababah again. DMV investigator Jeremy Desjardins then arranged a meeting with Rababah. But it was a trap, according to a Human Rights Commission complaint.
When Rababah arrived, he was confronted by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and arrested. He spent several days in a federal detention center and deportation proceedings were launched, the ACLU said. Rababah, who could not immediately be reached for comment, spent two years in immigration court.
His current immigration status is unclear. The ACLU and the Human Rights Commission declined to discuss that issue.
“I was promised safety when accessing services from the DMV, and when I went to the DMV I went with good faith and good intention,” Rababah told VTDigger. “I had done nothing wrong.”
ACLU of Vermont staff attorney Jay Diaz said: “Through this settlement, Mr. Rababah has achieved justice not only for himself but also for the many other individuals the driver’s privilege card law was intended to benefit.”
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He may have received a monetary settlement, but that is hardly justice in this case. He went through two years of hearings in immigration court, with all the attendant fears and worries. We don’t know what happened there but can be reasonably certain that he was not given permanent resident status, and is in hotter water than he was when the racist DMV employee ratted him out. I am stunned that there was not a clearer mandate to employees when the legislation was passed. I note this happened at about the time Kim Davis was making it clear that, to some at least, there is no reason to follow the law. I hope we won’t see more of this scofflaw behavior, but if hopes were horses, we all could ride.
Mr. Rababah is in the US illegally, let me repeat that: ILLEGALLY. Yet, in spite of this, he is legally licensed to operate a vehicle and, on top of that, he’s rewarded with $40K for being here ILLEGALLY. There are legal avenues to immigration. Why over all of these years did Mr. Rababah choose not to pursue a legal avenue to be a US citizen? Basically this ruling is saying: ‘Hey, if you’re a DMV employee and you see someone breaking the law just look the other way.’
It is amazing how many people believe an undocumented immigrant can simply “pursue a legal avenue to be a US citizen.” This is ignorance being perpetuated. Almost a all undocumented immigrants want to be documented. They want the protections that go with documentation. They want to be able to visit their families in their countries of origin but our immigration system is broken and favors the wealthy and those of certain origins over others. While there are avenues to legal residency and citizenship they are severely limited for the vast majority of undocumented immigrants or those who remain in other countries but wish to immigrate. Even those who do qualify are often prevented from pursuing those avenues by the astronomical costs. Further, while these people reside here they are treated extremely poorly by certain groups of people who incorrectly state that these people are taking advantage of public assistance (undocumented persons do not qualify for government assistance) or that they are “taking our jobs” and not learning our language (America has no official language).
Regardless, Vermont (<3) finally created a program to lighted the burden on these people by allowing them to legally drive. It is ludicrous to create such a program and then put those who participate in greater peril merely as a result of their participation. That is not the Vermont I know and love. This man faced humiliation, fear, and stress merely for participating in a program that was designed for him to use. $40,000 is not enough.
I am disgusted by the way we bow down to illegals. Do you think any other country does the same? No they do not.
“I was promised safety when accessing services from the DMV, and when I went to the DMV I went with good faith and good intention,” Rababah told VTDigger. “I had done nothing wrong.”
Well, almost nothing wrong. You did overstay a visa. Even still, illegals are allowed to obtain driver’s privileges without being subjected to deportation.
The DVM is lucky they didn’t have to fork out more. The law is the law, whether you like it or not. If it doesn’t appeal to you, get it changed. Breaking the law, in this case forging a DMV document, should have consequences that made the employee sting. I’m not happy with drivers cards being handed out to illegals either, but until its changed, don’t be a bigoted a-hole, just do your job.
It is easy for those who created and passed such a law in Vermont to say a law is the law.
If this were true “ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL”! An over stayed visa IS ILLEGAL. And Vermont pays him 40k!?! Really BS!!!
He should be paying Vermont for time spent in state tax free.
Yup be a illegal and get everything you want..even awarded $40k, for breaking the law.. Sick n Tired of the liberals here in Vermont giving all these illegals everything and Vermonters going without..These illegals are breaking the LAWS and Vt legislature’s gives them the red carpet..Why is it Vermonters have to be legal to have a drivers license but these illegals don’t, why is it Leahy, Sanders and Welch??? they are all for the illegals..screw Vermonters right!!! What makes Abdel Razaq Rababah so special, he broke the law, he’s a illegal, do they come first before American citizens and our Veterans?? Screw the libs and ACLU..TIME TO TAKE BACK VERMONT!!!!
The facts:
1. The DMV initiated a fraud investigation against him which was ultimately found to be based on a DMV employee’s alteration of his application.
2. The DMV entrapped him after the assurance of getting a license regardless of his immigration status.
Do I need to say more?
I read the whole story and I feel offended by the DMV actions. It could happen to anybody.
Tara, I’ll see your ‘offended’ and raise you $40,000.00. I’m offended That someone who is here illegally was rewarded with $40,000.00.
Reading through all the comments and looking at the likes and dislikes totals..I have to say with all the dislikes they are a lot of liberal democrats who just love having all these illegals here and getting everything free especially $40,000.00, while so many Vermonters are trying to make ends meet..My question is..will all these liberals welcome these illegals into their homes to live and support them?? I bet not..Do you know that illegals do not have taxes taken out of their pay for 10 yrs, do you know that the Government sets them up in business at no cost to the illegal, they get free schooling, health care, housing, cars and JOBS, the list goes on..if they break the law, oh that’s ok..they are given a free card..Wonder how many “dislikes ” I’ll get for stating the truth???
There is nothing free and you are making up these claims. I don’t think the money will cover the expense of the case.
These laws made to protect citizens in the first place. If your loved ones were in danger or there is a potential crime….Don’t you want these “illegal” to report that?
Is it ok with you that the DMV falsify this man document? Is it ok with you that they entrapped him after promising him safety?
Aren’t you concern someone would alter your documents?
Have we no justice?