Posted 10:30 pm, January 5, 2015, by Chad Tucker

BURLINGTON, N.C. — A church is looking to issue non-government ID cards to people of the Hispanic and Latino community.

“We want to have a high level of confidence in our community, that people are willing to be witnesses or speak to the police when they are a victim,” said Burlington Police Chief Jeffrey Smythe, who supports the idea. “What we are being told from the immigrant community is they feel more comfortable doing that when they have an ID card that says ‘this is who I am.”

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Burlington is looking to issue ID cards, modeling it after a program by Faith Action International in Greensboro. The cards will have no legal value and will not be issued by any local government entity. The program, which cost a couple thousand dollars to run, will be paid for by the church and administered by volunteers.

Smythe told city leaders Monday night that in Greensboro some 2,000 ID cards have already been issued in helping make the community safer. Local law enforcement plan to be on hand but are making it clear they will not arrest someone because of their illegal status. “That’s not our role,” said Smythe. “That’s a federal role and immigration role and all those roles are federally enforced.”

The ID cards will cost $10 and people wanting to obtain one must show something with their picture, full name and proof of address.

http://myfox8.com/2015/01/05/burling...ed-immigrants/