A viral post on X claims Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are obtaining drivers licenses without proper documentation and could enable them to vote illegally in U.S. elections.

I was almost thrown out of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles BMV in Springfield, OH
Police called out on me for recording illegal aliens from Haiti getting drivers license and commercial drivers license.

Will these millions of illegals use their NEW DRIVERS LICENSE TO VOTE??… pic.twitter.com/Jo6aJ4aFt1

— hernando arce (@hernandoarce) September 18, 2024

Verdict: Misleading

Haitian migrants are under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which can allow them to obtain licenses, but does not allow them to vote.

Fact Check:

A nonprofit Haitian community group has filed private charges against former President Donald Trump for his claims regarding the influx of migrants into Springfield, Ohio, according to NBC Washington. It is unclear if a hearing will be held before a court.

The author of the post claims he was nearly removed from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) in Springfield, Ohio, for recording Haitian migrants receiving driver’s licenses, raising concerns that these “illegal aliens” would use their licenses to vote illegally.

The claim is missing vital information. Haitian migrants are part of a group living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The listing grants immigrants from countries facing severe crises, like Haiti, the ability to live and work legally in the U.S. Haitian nationals under TPS can apply for driver’s licenses by providing proof of their legal status, work authorization, and residency in the state.

It is made clear, according to Customs and Immigrations services, that “TPS is a temporary benefit that does not lead to lawful permanent resident status or give any other immigration status.”

TPS beneficiaries are in the U.S. legally, and there are strict processes for them to receive driver’s licenses. The latter being marked accordingly mentioning their non-citizen status, in which a refugee would have to use either SAVE verification or an I-94 asylum document to obtain a license.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose has instituted several measures to prevent voter fraud, including regular audits of the voter registration database, and cross-checking it with state and federal immigration data. Any non-citizens improperly registered to vote are removed from the rolls.

The Ohio Constitution states “only a citizen of the United States, of the age of eighteen years, who has been a resident of the state, county, township, or warde…and has been registered to vote for thirty days” can vote.

The Reuters Fact Check team first reported on this particular issue. Dan Lusheck, deputy communications director for the Ohio Secretary of State, told the outlet that “Legal non-citizens are able to get a license in Ohio, but that license is not able to be used for voting purposes.”

Amber Lopez, deputy director of the Clark County Board of Elections, also told Reuters that any non-citizen who attempts to register can be charged with election falsification, a felony in Ohio.