On the last possible day to pass the Drive Safe bills in Michigan, the State House did not even have a quorum

Since 2017, when Movimiento Cosecha Michigan was born, the undocumented immigrant-led movement has been fighting for driver’s licenses. I have been fortunate to have been a part of much of this sever year fight for justice.

Over the years Movimiento Cosecha has engaged in mass marches on May 1st, held sit-ins at Kent County Commission meetings, offices of various state politicians and at several Secretary of State locations in the Grand Rapids area. 

In 2018, Movimiento Cosecha organized a week-long pilgrimage from Grand Rapids to Lansing. There have been numerous fundraisers, actions to demand that local municipalities pass resolutions and send letters to State Legislators to pass bills to allow the undocumented community to obtain a driver’s licenses. 

I have witnessed the complete and utter dedication from members of Movimiento Cosecha when dealing with fatigue, anti-immigrant hatred, constant police harassment, intimidation and surveillance. Yet, it the midst of all of this, Movimiento Cosecha has remained faithful to the wishes of the immigrant community’s desire to drive without fear and win driver’s licenses.

Yesterday, a small group of Cosecha Michigan members, along with a few allies, ended their hunger strike, an action they had been engaged in for about a week in the hopes of pressuring Michigan State Legislators to pass the Drive SAFE bills.

Cosecha Michigan members showed up once again outside of the State House Chambers to bear witness, to talk with State Representatives and to demand that during the Lame Duck session that State Legislators pass the Drive SAFE bills. After nearly three hours, the State House adjourned because they didn’t have enough State Representatives for even a quorum to be able to vote.

As I said, I have worked with Movimiento Cosecha Michigan since 2017, but on this day, when the State House could not even get enough of their members to show up to vote, I saw disappointment, disbelief and disgust in the faces of the Cosecha Michigan members.

Do those elected officials who didn’t bother to do their job and show up to vote for such a critical set of bills even understand how the lives of undocumented immigrants would be vastly improved because they would have a driver’s license? Do they know that without driver’s licenses that undocumented immigrants live in constant fear of being stopped by police, which will then contact ICE and have them arrested, detained and possibly deported? 

And just to be clear, both Republicans and Democrats were not showing up to vote on the Drive SAFE bills. I saw the disgust, disappointment and disbelief on the faces of the Cosecha Michigan members, because despite all of the promises from State Legislators and from Governor Whitmer’s office that they would pass the Drive SAFE bills after they won the trifecta during the 2022 election, they failed to make that promise a reality.

Lastly, here is a video message from Cosecha Michigan members after the State House closed their session without a quorum.