S.F. ID card program supporters hold rally
John Coté, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Four San Francisco supervisors joined with immigrant rights and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups on Tuesday to demand that Mayor Gavin Newsom move ahead with a program to issue municipal identification cards to residents regardless of their immigration status.

Newsom suspended implementation of the program last month to make sure it complies with state and federal laws. The move came after a series of Chronicle articles explaining how the city regularly shielded young illegal immigrants from deportation after they were found guilty of felony crimes. That practice has since been stopped.

Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who sponsored the ID card legislation, called its implementation a "matter of social justice" amid recent raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Supporters say the cards could help illegal immigrants obtain services that call for identification, such as getting a library card. LGBT groups say it could help transgender people get an ID that lists their correct gender.

City Administrator Ed Lee is looking into how the cards can be made counterfeit-proof, according to the mayor's office.

"There's no challenge to the policy. We're talking about the implementation of the policy," mayoral spokesman Nathan Ballard said. "It has to be implemented in the most careful way to make sure it withstands any legal challenges."

The Immigration Reform Law Institute of Washington, D.C., has sued to stop the program.

Speakers at Tuesday's rally, including Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi, Chris Daly and Gerardo Sandoval, urged city leaders to recommit to the sanctuary policy for illegal immigrants.

Backers of the sanctuary policy contend media focus on criminal cases involving illegal immigrants is inflammatory and ignores the vast majority of hardworking immigrants here to support their families.

E-mail John Coté at jcote@sfchronicle.com.

Comments:


iolanthesf9/17/2008 12:03:52 AM

Great. Give them ID cards, drivers' licenses, and gift certificates to nice stores. Then when they show up to collect, send them packing home.

dogpatchtruth9/17/2008 1:36:12 AM

Supervisor Tom Ammiano: your ongoing acts and deeds as an agent of foreign powers to the south make you a traitor to America. You should feel free to go live out the rest of your years in your chosen host country, right after you go to prison for providing aid and comfort to the La Raza movement which is in itself a terrorist organization aimed at destroying our national sovereignty and bankrupting our nation, one illegal at a time.

city_native9/17/2008 3:01:22 AM

The proposed SF identification card program is more proof that SF is dysfunctional, as proved by the antics of Supervisor Tom Ammiano. He should be prosecuted for treason, or at least dumped back in the wilds of his native New Jersey. He does not represent the citizens of SF, just the illegal aliens and extreme left. It's no surprise that Newsom hit the pause button on this project, as it will not withstand scrutiny by Homeland Security or the State of California. This project is DOA. This ID project is another attempted end run by supporters of illegal aliens to provide them with papers and freebies, when they should be provided with a jail sentence and deportation back to their home countries. I doubt that Newsom and Ammiano will ever wake up. There is no sanctuary for illegal aliens in SF. If you know of illegal aliens, just call the toll-free ICE hotline at 866-347-2423 to get them arrested and deported. It's time to save SF from loonies like Ammiano. No ID for illegals! No mas!

forcu9/17/2008 3:24:58 AM

Tom Ammiano is an old fart from the East Coast that has contributed little to San Francisco. His sleek move to Sacramento - comes at a time - when he must scamper away and be gone. The ID program is bereft with loopholes and will open a can of worms. It will make the plight of those Ammiano wants to help - worse. The man does not comprehend - he will not be there - he will be pandering to folks in Sacramento - just like Fiona Ma does. Ammiano is pathetic - and it is all because straights in San Francisco have looked the other way - while folks that cannot think straight - live cockeyed - are openly encouraged to be arses. And to think of it - that he is supported - by some - who have not thought about this ID situation - throughly. We might as well - be a Nation in San Francisco - complete with all the trims of a Sovereign Nation. Much of our drab talk at City Hall is about Foreign Affairs and nothing much to serve the constituents that are suffering - living, day to day. Go figure!

zeezil9/17/2008 5:12:35 AM

Illegal Aliens: Arrest, incarceration and DEPORTATION...si se puede!!!

mmianosucks9/17/2008 7:17:45 AM

Hey Ammiano, we'll be letting your union support base, like the Teamsters, know that you're actively promoting illegal alien labor to undercut union wages! You can kiss that support good-bye!

hernandez_usa19/17/2008 7:30:13 AM

Please contact your U.S. Representative through the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask him/her to do everything possible to stop the passage of three bills in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday: H.R. 5882, a bill that would add an additional 550,000 permanent green cards annually; H.R. 5924, which would add 20,000 additional foreign nurses per year for three years (plus their families); and H.R. 6020. Remember: 342,000 American jobs were eliminated throughout the economy last month. And, the number of people officially unable to find work rose to 592,000. Nevertheless, the House Judiciary Committee will consider a bill (H.R. 5882) to increase the number of employer-sponsored visas by 550,000 next year. You care about getting our nations economy and getting money in American Pockets then Call, E-mail or Fax your Rep. www.numbersusa.com

jerk_quake9/17/2008 9:01:07 AM

Well it would make for easier post-mortem identification when they are shot down in the violent, bloody, neglected streets of Ammiano or Daly's Districts.