Puerto Rico

Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) has fired one senior manager and demoted another who were complicit in discriminating against Kenneth Caban Gonzalez, represented by LatinoJustice PRLDEF and the Southern Center for Human Rights, who filed a federal court litigation alleging that he was illegally denied the right to exchange his valid Puerto Rico driver’s license for a Georgia driver’s license. The firing and demotion of the senior officials came amid a report issued today by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation detailing “deficiencies in investigative procedures” that were inconsistent with DDS protocol. Mr. Caban Gonzalez alleged in his lawsuit that his original identity documents were needlessly seized and that he was charged with providing false documents. His lawsuit was also filed on behalf of other applicants presenting Puerto Rican identity documents who were also denied Georgia driver’s license.

CONTACT: Christiaan Perez, cperez@latinojustice.org, 212-739-7581

Atlanta, GA – Kenneth Caban Gonzalez has been waiting nearly two years for his Georgia driver’s license and earlier today information was published showing that Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) has known that his documents were authentic since July of 2018. This news comes as LatinoJustice PRLDEF and Southern Center for Human Rights continue a legal battle to ensure that Georgia DDS treats Puerto Rican citizens with the same rights as other U.S. citizens.

LatinoJustice PRLDEF nació en 1972 para abordar el abuso sistémico, la discriminación y la negligencia por parte del gobierno dentro de la diáspora puertorriqueña. No obstante, siempre hemos desempeñado un papel en atender las necesidades de los puertorriqueños que viven en la isla debido a la conexión entre la diáspora que nos creó y los lazos que nos unen a la misma. Como organización de derechos humanos y civiles, comenzamos con la organización, para defender los derechos de los Latinos y puertorriqueños, Puerto Rico debería poder disfrutar de la autodeterminación y participar en un verdadero proceso de descolonización. Como notamos en nuestra Declaración de Descolonización en 2018, el proceso debe estar anclado en la soberanía y en la no interferencia antes de que se decida una solución final.