The Biden administration is looking to distribute thousands of ID cards to illegal immigrants in the coming weeks as part of an initiative to update the documentation provided to illegal border-crossers by US government agencies.
According to Fox News, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning a “limited rollout” of its Secure Docket Card program this summer, with approximately 10,000 ID cards slated for distribution in up to four US cities. Potential locations include Houston and Atlanta, as per a source cited by the outlet.
ICE states that the program seeks to “modernize documentation provided to some noncitizens,” emphasizing that the cards are designated for use exclusively by Department of Homeland Security agencies—such as ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and Citizenship and Immigration Services, reports the New York Post.
Every state is a border state.
Biden’s open border policies have kneecapped ICE’s ability to enforce our immigration laws and enabled criminal cartels to operate in your community with little to no consequences.@RogerMarshallMD pic.twitter.com/WYZPTizKUL
— Heritage Foundation (@Heritage) May 7, 2024
“While the specifics of the card and pilot are under development, it is important to note the secure card will not be an official form of federal identification,” ICE informed Fox News, adding that the card will be labeled for DHS agency use and issued following national security background checks.
Currently, illegal immigrants crossing the border illegally are typically provided with paper documents outlining their status and future immigration court dates before being released into the country. ICE argues that paper documents are insecure, inefficient, and prone to loss or deterioration, necessitating the transition to ID cards.
“Moving to a secure card will save the agency millions, free up resources, and ensure information is quickly accessible to DHS officials while reducing the agency’s FOIA backlog,” stated an ICE spokesperson to Fox News.
This is all in the process of getting much, much worse.
Instead of abolishing ICE entirely, Biden may just turn it into an illegal alien DMV! https://t.co/2wTapOLgFu pic.twitter.com/sqSESF9fex
— National Immigration Center for Enforcement (@NICEnforcement) May 6, 2024
“For provisionally released noncitizens, the digital modernization will provide ongoing access to important immigration documents through the secure card and connected portal.”
Leaked images obtained by the outlet reveal that the new cards will feature a photograph of the illegal immigrants, a QR code, an ID number, and other identifying details. However, the cost to taxpayers for the program remains unclear, as ICE did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Notably, the 10,000 cards planned for distribution under the pilot program would cover less than 1% of illegal immigrants who have entered the country since 2021. Last year, several Republican House lawmakers introduced legislation to block the plan, contending that ID cards would incentivize further illegal immigration into the US.
“Under the Biden administration’s open-border policies, illegal border crossings have reached an unsustainable record high, wreaking havoc on our nation’s communities. It’s incomprehensible to think we would reward this criminal behavior by granting those present in the country illegally an ID that all but legitimizes their presence and is intended to be used in ways beyond their immigration proceedings,” remarked Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), one of the co-sponsors of the so-called No IDs for Illegals Act, in a statement last October.
“It’s insulting to those who made sacrifices in order to follow our nation’s laws to live the American dream,” added the congressman.
