Thread: Journal Inquirer seeks names of New Haven ID card applicants

Journal Inquirer seeks names of New Haven ID card applicants
3:00 PM EDT, September 21, 2007

MANCHESTER, Conn.

The managing editor of the Journal Inquirer newspaper is asking the state Freedom of Information Commission to order New Haven officials to disclose the names of applicants for controversial municipal identification cards.

The ID cards are believed to be the first in the country specifically designed to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows and give them access to community services. But they are available to all city residents.

The program was created to help people without state- or federal-issued IDs open bank accounts and use other services that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Journal Inquirer Managing Editor Chris Powell filed a Freedom of Information request last month asking the city for a list of recipients, including names, addresses and photographs, along with any related documents collected by the city.

The city denied that request. Community Services Administrator Kica Matos wrote in a reply that the records are exempt from disclosure under state FOI law and that the city's attorney has said release of the records would invade the applicants' personal privacy and contradict state and federal law.

Last week, Powell sent a letter asking the state FOI commission to determine the records are public and order their disclosure.

"I thought it was an important issue simply because the whole purpose of the cards seemed to be to facilitate illegal immigration and given that that was the purpose and that the undertaking really was a matter of what became national interest that it ought to be litigated as an FOI issue," Powell said.

FOI Commission officials said they cannot comment because the complaint is pending. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Copyright © 2007, The Associated Press
newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--immigrants-idcard0921sep21,0,7783932.story

Way to go Journal Enquirer!

Seriously, you can access infromation about people's DLs and Voter's Registration Card info. Why is that illegal alien ID any different?

They want to act like Americans but want their own set of rules.

Dixie