A growing number of cities in New Jersey are issuing municipal ID cards to illegal aliens to make it easier for them to tap into welfare and other benefits.
At least 6 New Jersey local jurisdictions already issue the municipal ID cards and many other areas are considering following suit. Supporters are open about why they want to put the cards into the hands of illegal aliens:
Helping unauthorized immigrants gain a foothold in the community is “extremely important” since they can’t get a driver’s license, said Sara Cullinane of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
Without an ID, individuals often cannot open a bank account, access government services or, in some cases, receive commercial discounts for which they are eligible.
Accessing government services is code for welfare. It seems the illegal alien community in New Jersey has been doing fine in the absence of these cards:
German Vergara, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador, told NJ Advance Media that he has been unsuccessful in enrolling into an English as a second language class because he didn’t have an ID card.
“There are many situations where you need identification,” said Vergara, who has lived in Roselle for 13 years. “It is a problem when we only have something from our home country.”
Vergara lasted 13 years as an illegal alien in New Jersey without the card.
Some supporters believe the municipal ID card doesn’t go far enough.
the Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, pastor of The Reformed Church of Highland Park, said officials and community members are giving thought to municipal ID cards.
However, Kaper-Dale said he’d much rather see a more robust effort — bills in the state to give unauthorized immigrants the right to a driver’s license — become law.
Having a driver’s license opens more of society to individuals as opposed to ID cards that have limited effect only in the community that issues them, he said.
“One of them is sort of symbolically nice,” he said, “and the other one is radically transformative.”
Yes, it would be “radically transformative”. It would make it much easier for illegal aliens to evade the law.
