US govt considers special ID card for some asylum seekers

A proposal already being politicized by anti-immigration forces in the United States would give immigrants a phot ID card for use within the asylum system.

If the $10 million pilot project is approved as part of President Joe Biden’s 2023 budget proposal, some immigrants would use the special ID card in place of the paperwork they carry today, according to reporting by the Associated Press news wire.

The card would make it easier for a person to access information about their case online and explain the holder’s non-citizen status.

The secure docket card would be managed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE officers could use the card to identify people they encounter on the streets.

It would not be a resident ID for collecting benefits, drive vehicles or avoid deportation. It would also not be recognized as official federal identification.

The docket card is one of many ideas the federal government is trying out to cut expenses related to accepting and adjudicating asylum cases while keeping tabs on would-be immigrants.

Article Topics

border security  |  DHS  |  digital ID cards  |  ICE  |  identity document  |  identity verification  |  immigration