Elm City Resident Card
Encyclopedia
The Elm City Resident Card is an identification (ID) card used in New Haven, Connecticut
in the United States
. The card was originally designed to protect the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 illegal immigrants in New Haven from being robbed or assaulted. All city residents can receive the card, which serves as a form of identification, debit card
with a capacity of $150, library card, and a way to pay for parking meter
s. The cards were first issued in July 2007, and were the first municipal identification card
s issued in the United States
. The card costs $
5 for children or $10 for adults.
and other Latin America
n countries, has been a controversial political issue in the US for many years.
Illegal immigrants in New Haven were often targets of robbery
, and sometimes murder
because they were less likely to go to police
due to their immigration status. It is also harder for illegal immigrants to get bank accounts, causing some to carry around larger sums of cash.
New Haven has historically had a favorable policy toward immigrants. In December 2006, the New Haven police
instituted a policy of not asking crime victims or witnesses about their immigration status, unless they were suspected of being involved in a crime - the first policy of its kind in Connecticut.
students. The proposal received a positive reaction, but was not adopted. Then, in December 2006, the mayor of New Haven, John DeStefano, Jr.
, announced that he was reviving the plan. However, that plan was canceled after anti-immigrant fervor. The city then redrafted plans, and in May 2007 unveiled the new Elm City Resident Card that has multiple uses, so that it would be useful to all residents of New Haven.
, a municipal identification card program modeled after New Haven's. New York canceled a plan to issue driver's licenses for illegal immigrants after strong opposition.
-based Citizens for Immigration Control and the North Branford-based Southern Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Reform - wrote and distributed flyers around New Haven criticizing the Card. The Souther Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Reform have also criticized the plan as hurting New Haven's workers who are legal residents.
Other critics argue that it will entice illegal immigration and undermine border security.
In early 2008, opponents filed a Freedom of Information request
to make public the names, addresses and photos of everyone who has an ID card. On June 25, 2008, Connecticut's Freedom of Information Commission upheld the city's decision to reject this request and protect the privacy and safety of holders of the Elm City ID.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The card was originally designed to protect the estimated 10,000 to 15,000 illegal immigrants in New Haven from being robbed or assaulted. All city residents can receive the card, which serves as a form of identification, debit card
Debit card
A debit card is a plastic card that provides the cardholder electronic access to his or her bank account/s at a financial institution...
with a capacity of $150, library card, and a way to pay for parking meter
Parking meter
A parking meter is a device used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle in a particular place for a limited amount of time. Parking meters can be used by municipalities as a tool for enforcing their integrated on-street parking policy, usually related to their traffic and...
s. The cards were first issued in July 2007, and were the first municipal identification card
Municipal identification card
In the United States, a city identification card is a form of identification card issued by a municipality, such as a city, rather than a state or federal government. Under federal law, cities may issue their own identification cards as they see fit, and do not have to consider the immigration or...
s issued in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The card costs $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5 for children or $10 for adults.
Background
Illegal immigration, especially from MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and other Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries, has been a controversial political issue in the US for many years.
Illegal immigrants in New Haven were often targets of robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, and sometimes murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
because they were less likely to go to police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
due to their immigration status. It is also harder for illegal immigrants to get bank accounts, causing some to carry around larger sums of cash.
New Haven has historically had a favorable policy toward immigrants. In December 2006, the New Haven police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
instituted a policy of not asking crime victims or witnesses about their immigration status, unless they were suspected of being involved in a crime - the first policy of its kind in Connecticut.
Planning
Municipal ID cards were first proposed in 2005, as the result of a study conducted by the Junta for Progressive Action, an advocacy group, and Yale Law SchoolYale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
students. The proposal received a positive reaction, but was not adopted. Then, in December 2006, the mayor of New Haven, John DeStefano, Jr.
John DeStefano, Jr.
John DeStefano, Jr. is the current mayor of New Haven, Connecticut. He was the Democratic candidate in 2006 for Governor of Connecticut, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell. He was also the named defendant in the landmark 2009 U.S. Supreme Court case of Ricci v...
, announced that he was reviving the plan. However, that plan was canceled after anti-immigrant fervor. The city then redrafted plans, and in May 2007 unveiled the new Elm City Resident Card that has multiple uses, so that it would be useful to all residents of New Haven.
Approval
On 4 June 2007, New Haven aldermen vote 25-1 in favor of accepting $250,359 in private funds from the First City Fund Corporation to fund the Elm City Resident Card.Immigration raid
Two days after the card was unveiled in 2007, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 32 illegal immigrants in the city.Immigration office raid
In December 2007, 6 months after the plan was approved, federal agents from the Department of Health and Human Services raided the offices of the Community Action Agency of New Haven with a warrant for all documents from 2003 onward. The agents asked whether they had been given instructions about giving aid to illegal immigrants.Other municipal ID cards
On January 15, 2009, the city/county of San Francisco launched the SF City ID CardSF City ID Card
The SF City ID Card is a municipal identification card program operated by San Francisco, California for residents of the city-county, regardless of their immigration status...
, a municipal identification card program modeled after New Haven's. New York canceled a plan to issue driver's licenses for illegal immigrants after strong opposition.
Opposition
Just before the ID cards were approved, two groups - DanburyDanbury
Danbury is a city in Connecticut, U.S.Danbury may also refer to:*Danbury, Saskatchewan, Canada*Danbury, Essex, UK*Danbury, Iowa, U.S.*Danbury, Nebraska, U.S.*Danbury, New Hampshire, U.S.*Danbury, North Carolina, U.S.*Danbury, Texas, U.S....
-based Citizens for Immigration Control and the North Branford-based Southern Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Reform - wrote and distributed flyers around New Haven criticizing the Card. The Souther Connecticut Citizens for Immigration Reform have also criticized the plan as hurting New Haven's workers who are legal residents.
Other critics argue that it will entice illegal immigration and undermine border security.
In early 2008, opponents filed a Freedom of Information request
Freedom of Information Act (United States)
The Freedom of Information Act is a federal freedom of information law that allows for the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States government. The Act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure...
to make public the names, addresses and photos of everyone who has an ID card. On June 25, 2008, Connecticut's Freedom of Information Commission upheld the city's decision to reject this request and protect the privacy and safety of holders of the Elm City ID.