Overview

• A DMV letter told Sacramento-area driver Isis Wharton that her “IAMISIS” plate creates a risk of inciting violence because it can be read as “I am Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.”
• Wharton, who says the plate reflects her given name derived from the Egyptian goddess, has used the configuration since 2022 and renewed it annually without issue.
• She says she was hurt by the implication and plans to contest the cancellation through the administrative process.
• The DMV set a deadline of September 27 for Wharton to request a hearing, citing rules that bar violent or illegal references and potentially misleading messages.
• In a statement noting that meanings vary across communities, the agency referenced the terrorist group’s sensitivity, with ISIS designated by the United States and the United Nations as a terrorist organization.