What’s The Point Of Municipal ID?
When Mayor Bill de Blasio stumped for municipal identification cards during his State of the City address in February, he stressed the program would “protect the almost half-million undocumented New Yorkers whose voices too often go unheard.”
At the time, it seemed like a reasonable, albeit imperfect, idea to give illegal immigrants in New York City some sort of legal identification as a basis to receive benefits, sign a lease or apply for a library card, among other things. After all, the federal government has done nothing but trip over itself regarding immigration reform for the last 30 years.
Make no mistake, no solution is forthcoming from Washington regarding immigration reform. Both sides are so polarized and fearful of political repercussions that they are content with constantly kicking the can down the road, past one election, one Congress and one administration after another. Immigration reform isn’t just a political third rail; it’s a third rail submerged in shark-infested waters.
The municipal ID program overwhelmingly passed the City Council in the spring, and de Blasio quickly signed it into law. With this program, New York City-like other municipalities across the country sick of federal inaction on the matter-is taking its own initiative to halfway-legalize illegal immigrants.
Well, that seemed to be its purpose up until last week.
Mayor de Blasio announced that a host of cultural institutions across the city-including museums and zoos-would offer free admission or discounts for one year to those who sign up for, and present upon arrival, municipal ID cards. Reportedly, if one were to take advantage of those available discounts, the card would be valued at nearly $2,000.
These discounts, supporters claim, would encourage all New Yorkers-both citizens and undocumented-to apply for the municipal ID card. Having all New Yorkers apply for the card, some observers charged, would reduce any chances that cardholders would face any negative stigma from carrying a municipal ID.
And herein lies the fatal flaw of the city’s municipal ID program. Though its intention was to give undocumented residents access to the same things New York City citizens enjoy, some express concern that cardholders will be treated unfairly. But by offering the ID card to all New Yorkers, the city effectively negates the program’s original intentions and transforms the card to that of a college student’s ID.
Moreover, some wonder if undocumented New Yorkers would embrace the municipal ID cards. Similar programs in other U.S. cities such as Chicago and San Francisco haven’t met expectations, largely because many illegal immigrants are afraid of any kind of government notification, for fear of deportation.
So what exactly was the point of this program-to give out a city contract to a company designing and issuing the IDs and funds to cultural institutions offering discounts? Or was it really to help undocumented New Yorkers improve their status?
The only way to legalize undocumented New Yorkers is to provide a real path to citizenship. We feel the funds used for the municipal ID program would be better served on expanding citizenship programs and encouraging all undocumented residents to fully become a part of American life. The path may be long and tedious, but it’s the only way to truly ensure that all New Yorkers are treated equally and provided the rights and privileges they deserve.
