On Thursday, the Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, announced the launch of a new municipal ID card for undocumented immigrants and others in the city. The move is intended as a way to reach out to Hispanic voters and those opposed to the immigration policies pursued by President Donald Trump.
The IDs will be available from Monday at Englewood’s Kennedy-King College, then becoming more widely available in other neighborhoods. The cards will also be available on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday of next week at City Hall’s city clerk’s office, albeit by appointment only, and then on a semi-regular basis as city sticker sales are also ramped up by the office. Emanuel has been touting the municipal ID card idea for some years, and by finally bringing it to fruition as he heads for re-election, is hoping to aid those who find it difficult to gain legitimate forms of identification.
But, the new ID card has become a major source of contention as the debate over immigration continues to rage. City Council African-Americans say their mainly black wards see no need for a new card to aid immigrants, while conservatives say the program could result in voter fraud, an argument dismissed by Emanuel.
Emanuel admits that the new cards will not be a success unless obtained and used by many people. The first 100,000 cards will be free; after that, there will be a $5 charge for children and a $10 cost for adults aged 65 and under. The elderly will receive free cards.