CityWise: Oakland ID-card for illegal immigrants
By Kelly Rayburn

Posted: 10/22/2009 06:41:35 PM PDT
Updated: 10/23/2009 12:24:35 PM PDT


OAKLAND β€” The city is moving ahead with creating a program to provide identification cards to illegal immigrants and others who have trouble obtaining state identification, but some key questions remain unanswered.

The City Council voted Tuesday to request proposals from vendors on how they would operate the program.

One question is whether the effort can bring in enough revenue to cover its cost, which many see as crucial for a city still mired in a budget crisis. Another is whether the cards would strictly be for identification or might also work as debit cards for people who don't have access to bank accounts.

On the latter question, the program's two chief sponsors are split. Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente (Glenview-Fruitvale) said if officials try to do too much, it might end up taking too long β€” and the city could end up with no program at all.

"At the end of the day, the main purpose, the main intention of (the program) is to provide individuals, Oakland residents, with a municipal ID that would allow them to report crimes, that would allow them to become part of the system," De La Fuente said.

Councilmember Jean Quan (Montclair-Laurel) believes it might not be so difficult to expand uses.

"I've been talking to vendors who are going to bid on this," she said. "And they actually say they can do the debit function, but we have to be clear on what we want. I've urged them all to bring us different proposals to give us different options."

Six members of the council voted in favor of putting out a request for proposals, with Councilmembers Larry Reid (Elmhurst-East Oakland) and Desley Brooks (Eastmont-Seminary) abstaining.

Under the council's direction, the city will request bids from banking institutions, and debit card and identification providers. The bids are expected to be returned by the end of 2009.


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