The California DMV's warning about AB 60 drivers has sparked a major controversy, with the Trump administration now questioning the state's voter-roll system.
The controversy began when the Secretary of State's Office published minutes from an official Motor Voter Task Force meeting, which revealed a startling response from the DMV regarding citizenship verification.
During the April 22, 2025 meeting, representatives from the Secretary of State's Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles discussed the implementation of citizenship confirmations on Real ID's.
The DMV shared that it would be "risky for the security of AB 60 drivers of California to implement citizenship confirmations on Real ID's," a statement that set off alarms.
But what exactly is AB 60, and why did the DMV raise concerns about the "security" of AB 60 drivers? AB 60 is a California driver's-license program for people who cannot provide proof of legal presence in the United States.
The DMV's own website confirms that AB 60 licenses are not proof of citizenship, and an AB 60 license holder cannot legally vote unless that person later becomes a United States citizen.
So, why did the DMV raise concerns about the "security" of AB 60 drivers when the Secretary of State's Office asked about citizenship verification? The minutes do not explain.
The minutes, however, confirm that the DMV was monitoring the federal SAVE Act, that the task force wanted the legislation discussed again, and that California REAL ID cards do not indicate citizenship.
The DMV's warning about AB 60 drivers becomes more significant when viewed beside the ongoing dispute with the Trump administration over access to California's voter rolls.
The United States Department of Justice requested California's statewide voter-registration list, but Secretary of State Shirley Weber refused to produce the requested records, and the Justice Department sued her and the State of California.
The Trump administration should use the minutes as an investigative roadmap to uncover the truth behind the DMV's concerns about AB 60 drivers.
The Justice Department should seek the meeting recording, original notes, draft minutes, and communications between the Secretary of State's Office and the DMV concerning the SAVE Act, citizenship indicators, and AB 60 drivers.
Most importantly, the representatives involved should be required to answer one question under oath: "What specific security risk did citizenship confirmation create for AB 60 drivers?"
The minutes provide a legitimate investigative lead from the agencies running the system, and the Trump administration should follow the paper trail to uncover the truth behind the DMV's warning about AB 60 drivers.
Following the meeting minutes, DMV data, and AB 60 exclusion rules will reveal whether citizenship verification truly threatened drivers who cannot prove lawful presence.
