San Francisco Begins Issuing ID Cards To All, Regardless Of Immigration Status

To howls of protest across the wingnut blogosphere and talk radio, today the city of San Francisco began issuing photo ID cards to all residents who can provide proof of living in the city, regardless of their legal immigration status.

The cards, also available in New Haven, Conn., and being considered in other cities, have sparked fury among advocates of stricter immigration laws. They argue cities have no business declaring people residents if they are not in the country legally. But San Francisco officials and recipients of the cards hailed the new program as a way to connect undocumented immigrants with banks, businesses and city services, such as obtaining health care and checking out library books. They also said it will encourage card holders to report crimes to the police without fear of being arrested or deported.

“I really need the identification card,” said Marvin Martinez, 50, who arrived in the city five months ago from Florida and is originally from Mexico. Martinez, who didn’t say whether he was a legal resident, stood in a long line – one made up mostly of Latino men – that snaked down the marble hallway outside the county clerk’s office. “I’ll use it to look for jobs and for school and when the police stop me, I’ll have ID to show them,” he said. “It’ll improve things.”

The ID program was created by openly gay state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano during his previous tenure as an SF city supervisor. Expect this issue to rival gay marriage as a screaming point for opponents to SF Mayor Gavin Newsom’s coming bid for governor.