COME ONE, COME ALL:

In testimony to lawmakers, people who were once undocumented have described how not having a valid license and being unable to drive hindered their ability to participate fully in their communities, partly due to the state's lack of sufficient public transportation. Some reported they and their children feared the police for that reason.

In a roundtable hosted by the New Hampshire Brazilian Council, the mayors of New Hampshire's two largest cities and several local police chiefs underscored these concerns and said they support efforts to expand access to valid forms of identification for undocumented immigrants.

"Businesses need a workforce," Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig said during the meeting, "and individuals need to be able to get to those jobs."

Nashua Mayor Jim Donchness echoed that sentiment.

"We have a lot of jobs here and not enough people to fill them," Donchess said. "It's important that they are allowed to have a driver's license to support their families and their communities."

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