GOP senator wants to end controversial ID program for illegal immigrants
Senator Josh Hawley, a prominent Republican from Missouri, is spearheading an effort to prevent the initiation of a controversial program that would distribute identification cards to undocumented immigrants as soon as this summer.
Entitled the “No Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Immigrant Identity Cards Act,” Hawley’s proposed legislation aims to prohibit the allocation of any federal funds towards the ICE Secure Docket Card program or any similar initiatives.
The program in question, as described by the agency, intends to update the documentation provided to select noncitizens, emphasizing that it will not serve as an official federal form of identification.
Despite assurances from the agency concerning the security and limited accessibility of the card, Republican lawmakers have expressed consistent opposition to the program.
Hawley’s bill also demands that the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General furnish a detailed report on the expenses associated with the program, or any comparable projects intended to furnish identification cards to individuals residing in the U.S. without legal authorization.
“Enough. Biden should be deporting illegal immigrants and securing our border, not giving them IDs and making it easier for them to take advantage of taxpayer benefits,” Hawley remarked.
In defense of the initiative, ICE asserts that the implementation of the program would streamline identity verification processes through the DHS system.
“Transitioning to a secure card would result in substantial cost savings for the agency, streamline operations, and facilitate rapid access to information for DHS officials, all while reducing the agency’s FOIA backlog,” a spokesperson elaborated. “For noncitizens on provisional release, the digital upgrade will provide continued access to crucial immigration records via the secure card and associated portal.”
Concurrently, the administration is proposing a federal regulation that would authorize officials to expel individuals deemed to pose national security and public safety risks at an earlier stage in the asylum review process.
Hawley’s legislative proposal comes on the heels of revelations regarding a Colombian national who was sought for aggravated homicide in his home country and was encountered in November, subsequently being released into the U.S. ICE officers detained him in Massachusetts earlier this month.
