New Haven Becomes First City in U.S. to Offer ID Cards to Illegal Immigrants

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

New Haven Becomes First City in U.S. to Offer ID Cards to Illegal Immigrants

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Associated Press

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — This city is becoming the first in the nation to offer identification cards to illegal immigrants, trying to bring them out of the shadows even as many municipalities crack down on them.

Beginning Tuesday, New Haven will offer the ID cards to all of its 125,000 residents, including some 10,000 to 12,000 illegal immigrants.

The cards will allow immigrants to open bank accounts and use other services that may be unavailable without driver's licenses or state-issued IDs. If they can open bank accounts, immigrants will be less likely to carry large amounts of cash, a practice that makes them easy targets for robbers.

City officials say the cards will also encourage immigrants who are crime victims or witnesses to cooperate with police.

"The simple straightforward purpose here is to build a stronger community," Mayor John DeStefano said Monday. "You can't police a community of people who won't talk to our cops."

Opponents say the cards will encourage more illegal immigration.

"It's going to be a welcome mat for illegal aliens to come to the region, flood the labor market and dry up working-class and middle-class jobs," said Bill Farrel, coordinator of the Southern Connecticut Immigration reform.

DeStefano said that wasn't true.

"Work draws it, not a piece of plastic," the mayor said.

He said the federal government has failed to address immigration-related issues, forcing cities to find ways to manage them.

The ID cards stand in contrast to new laws or proposals in more than 90 cities or counties around the nation prohibiting landlords from leasing to illegal immigrants, penalizing businesses that employ them or training police to enforce immigration laws.

New Haven already offers federal tax help to immigrants and prohibits police from asking about their immigration status. The new ID cards cost $5 for children and $10 for adults.

Days after city officials approved the program, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted raids that led to about 30 arrests. City officials said the raids appeared to be retaliatory, but ICE officials have said the raids had nothing to do with the city's approval of the ID program.

They would not comment on the prospects of more raids.

"ICE is mandated by Congress to enforce a wide range of immigration and customs laws and we will continue to enforce those laws in Connecticut and throughout the U.S.," the agency said in a statement.

DeStefano acknowledged that some immigrants may be reluctant to apply for an ID card because of the raids, but predicted most will still seek the ID cards.

Junta For Progressive Action, an advocacy group for Latinos, quickly ran out of 50 applications for the cards on Friday, executive director Sarahi Almonte said.

"The benefits outweigh the risks," she said.

Visit FOXNews.com's Immigration Center for complete coverage.

[Caladan 19]

As someone who lives in New Haven, I'm happy about this, because having people wander around with large amounts of cash DOES lead to a higher crime rate in my neighborhood. (Thieves jump legal immigrants, too.) Making things easier on police can only be a good thing.

[Nessa 23]

[Sinergy 3]

oh yaaaaaaaay slowly give them the rights they want but dont deserve

Edited July 24, 2007 by Ionescu

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Cool. May New Haven become the home of this nation's illegal aliens. All 12 million of them.

[dalegg 143]

As someone who lives in New Haven, I'm happy about this, because having people wander around with large amounts of cash DOES lead to a higher crime rate in my neighborhood. (Thieves jump legal immigrants, too.) Making things easier on police can only be a good thing.

It'll be interesting to see how many apply. It's voluntary I take it. Can't imagine how you could make a law forcing illegal people to get ID cards.

[Caladan 19]

That'll be interesting to see who applies but anything that allows the cops more comfort in the community here can only be good. There's a problem with Chinese grad students (LEGAL! NONIMMIGRANT COOKIES!) who often have trouble getting bank accounts on their J-or-F visas. The result is they walk around with $500 cash, because they can't use ATMs and are easy targets.

We'll see. We can't fit 12 million people in this town but allowing voluntary IDs surely reduces the incentive for identity theft and fake IDs. New Haven has a sizable Hispanic population. Some of it has to be illegal, but most families seem to be a mix of illegal and legal immigrants (i.e., sister gets a green card, her sister comes as a tourist, kids are citizens, etc.), so I'm thinking that this probably makes New Haven better than worse.

[Dan J 277]

oh yaaaaaaaay slowly give them the rights they want but dont deserve

What rights? In the US you don't have to be a citizen or resident to own property or assets in the US.

[Sinergy 3]

oh yaaaaaaaay slowly give them the rights they want but dont deserve

What rights? In the US you don't have to be a citizen or resident to own property or assets in the US.

to own a credit card is a right, if it wasnt then you would be able to get one without a social or a id, by giving them a flipping ID card, your giving them the right to get a credit card and get a drivers lisence, and whatever else you can do with a valid ID.

and this had nothing to do with owning propert or assets, but issuing ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS an ID card.

[Dan J 277]

oh yaaaaaaaay slowly give them the rights they want but dont deserve

What rights? In the US you don't have to be a citizen or resident to own property or assets in the US.

to own a credit card is a right, if it wasnt then you would be able to get one without a social or a id, by giving them a flipping ID card, your giving them the right to get a credit card and get a drivers lisence, and whatever else you can do with a valid ID.

and this had nothing to do with owning propert or assets, but issuing ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS an ID card.

You can still get a credit card if your not a US resident at a US bank, its generally not very easy and not all banks will offer them.

A drivers licence gives you the right to drive, what does a state ID give you as additional rights?

[peejay 327]

Let's see...local towns can't pass laws to bar illegal aliens from renting, working, etc. because it infringes on Federal jurisdiction. But towns can pass laws to freely choose to aid and abett illegal aliens against Federal law. Groovy!

Where is the ACLU on this one? Probably with their heads up their liberal lunatic fringe arses as usual. The silence is deafening.

The Feds raided New Haven once already since this abomination was passed...I hope they make it a regular routine. Better yet...nail the local politicians on aiding and abetting charges.

[Dan J 277]

Let's see...local towns can't pass laws to bar illegal aliens from renting, working, etc. because it infringes on Federal jurisdiction. But towns can pass laws to freely choose to aid and abett illegal aliens against Federal law. Groovy!

Where is the ACLU on this one? Probably with their heads up their liberal lunatic fringe arses as usual. The silence is deafening.

The Feds raided New Haven once already since this abomination was passed...I hope they make it a regular routine. Better yet...nail the local politicians on aiding and abetting charges.

How is it aiding illegal immigrants? An ID card doesn't grant a person any additional rights. You don't get any additional rights when you get a state ID. You do when you get a drivers licence, but thats now what the city gave in this case.

[Caladan 19]

It's not aiding and abetting. It doesn't keep anyone from being deported, or grant anyone work authorization who doesn't have it. One does not have to be a citizen or a legal resident to conduct business in the U.S. New Haven is no more aiding and abetting (aiding and abetting what, by the way? Just general aiding and abetting?) an illegal than the grocery store is by selling them food or a hospital is by treating a gunshot victim.

If you have the ID, you're still just as deportable as you were, but now you might have an easier time with a bank account and not being homeless.

[peejay 327]

Let's see...local towns can't pass laws to bar illegal aliens from renting, working, etc. because it infringes on Federal jurisdiction. But towns can pass laws to freely choose to aid and abett illegal aliens against Federal law. Groovy!

Where is the ACLU on this one? Probably with their heads up their liberal lunatic fringe arses as usual. The silence is deafening.

The Feds raided New Haven once already since this abomination was passed...I hope they make it a regular routine. Better yet...nail the local politicians on aiding and abetting charges.

How is it aiding illegal immigrants? An ID card doesn't grant a person any additional rights. You don't get any additional rights when you get a state ID. You do when you get a drivers licence, but thats now what the city gave in this case.

Anytime a government entity gives anything but emergency aid to illegal aliens it is defacto encouragement to illegal aliens. In this case it is an ID card for services. Sounds like aiding, abetting, and enabling to me.

Since when do local towns get to formulate immigration policy? They sure did b*tch, whine, and moan when the Feds raided their town and hauled off a load of illegal aliens recently. Maybe they should focus more attention on the local citizenry instead of trying to make obvious Lefty lunatic statements by passing lame laws and proclamations that encourage and embolden illegal aliens and illegal immigration.

[keltic 1]

fox news is on the ball

i guess we will just have see if the community in new haven grows and prospers as a result of this... i think doing anything to ease the life of an illegal only encourages them more

Edited July 25, 2007 by keltic