CINCINNATI, Ohio — The Bureau of Motor Vehicles is planning to reopen at the end of the month, but the closure is another roadblock for some who’ve already been waiting years. 

  • Teen still can’t get license because of closure 
  • Some have already been waiting years because of discrimination lawsuit
  • BMV expected to open at end of May

Karina Cabrera is old enough to drive. She’s 18, but she’s been stuck in the passenger seat for the last two years. 

“It’s like sadness and also anger because why I am a U.S. citizen, i should have any other rights as any U.S. citizen,” said Cabrera.

She’s a U.S. citizen, but her mom isn’t. 

Her mom is undocumented. 

It’s the reason Karina was told she wouldn’t get a license from the Ohio BMV. 

“I always think about when my sister went, and how she came home just crying,” said Cabrera.

She says her sister was turned away when she showed up at the BMV with her mom. 

“The ladies (at the BMV) had a very bad reaction to knowing that my mom wasn’t a U.S. citizen, so they asked her to leave or they were gonna call immigration,” said Cabrera.

Karina didn’t think she’d drive after that, but what she didn’t know, was this was already in the works.

“Basically, we sued the BMV for that discriminatory action,” said Allison Reynolds-Berry, executive director of the InterCommunity Justice and Peace Center.

Karina joined groups of advocates in this class action lawsuit against the BMV, and won. 

The policy that required parents to show immigration status for their kids to get a license changed, but advocates say they still have more work to do. 

“Even though we won the lawsuit, we know that there are people showing up at BMVs and being denied because they are not communicating with each of the registrars this new policy,” said Reynolds-Berry.

But Karina had plans to finally try for her license. She even picked up the driver's test booklet to study. 

That was right before coronavirus. 

Even after almost two years and a lawsuit, with the BMV offices closed, Karina still can’t get her license — but she hopes to eventually.