During his State of the City address today, Mayor de Blasio announced that this year the city will issue municipal ID cards to help undocumented New Yorkers do some of the essential things many of us take for granted, like open bank accounts, file police complaints, and lease apartments. De Blasio argues that the ID cards will "protect the almost half-million undocumented New Yorkers, whose voices too often go unheard." But it's not just immigrants who'll be able to get the cards, according to de Blasio.
"We will reach out to all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status," de Blasio announced, "issuing municipal ID cards available to all New Yorkers this year—so that no daughter or son of our city goes without bank accounts, leases, library cards…simply because they lack identification." We're very curious to see what the new ID cards look like, and when we can get digital versions surgically embedded into our necks.
Advocates for immigrant New Yorkers have been pushing for the municipal ID cards for some time now. On the heels of the mayor's speech, State Senators Adriano Espaillat and Jose Peralta issued this joint statement:
For immigrant families in New York City whose undocumented status leaves them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by unethical employers, landlords and scam artists, Mayor de Blasio’s municipal ID card will change lives for the better. Under our current system, immigrants’ inability to obtain a government ID excludes them from services most people take for granted, and makes it harder for them to provide for their children. But with incredible momentum in Albany and across the country, we can’t let up the fight to accomplish what 11 states and the District of Columbia have already done - passing legislation giving immigrants the opportunity to earn legal driving privileges. When we look across the country and see our neighbors in Connecticut, big states with major cities like Illinois and California, and a deep red state like Utah all taking this sensible step forward, there is no reason why the issue remains unaddressed in New York. As comprehensive reform remains stalled in Washington, we applaud Mayor de Blasio’s commitment to helping vulnerable immigrant communities. Once in place, this initiative will help dispel the baseless and xenophobic arguments opponents have used to block this needed reform for too long. By the same token, it is unacceptable that hardworking immigrants are made to break the law in order to commute to work or take their kids to school. Providing undocumented immigrants the opportunity to obtain drivers licenses will ensure that all New York drivers are properly credentialed, educated and operating registered, inspected and insured vehicles, making our roads safer and benefiting all New Yorkers.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito wholeheartedly supports the proposal, which she hopes to see enacted this year. If it happens, NYC will join many other municipalities who issue the cards to help individuals who are having trouble obtaining regular government IDs.
