FAIR Take | May 2024
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reportedly moving ahead with plans to roll out its Secure Docket Card Program this summer, which would provide ID cards to illegal aliens residing in the United States. The pilot program is projected to distribute around 10,000 ID cards to aliens in three to four cities across the country. This “IDs for illegal aliens” program is a clear effort by the Biden Administration to integrate illegal aliens into society instead of enforcing our immigration laws.
ICE began developing the Secure Docket Card Program in 2022. To obtain an ICE ID card, it appears that all an alien will have to do is enter the country illegally. Upon release, aliens will be issued an ID card containing a photo, identifying information, and security details. In addition to being used for ICE check-ins and appearances in immigration court, these IDs may be used to allow illegal aliens to board aircraft and fly around the United States.
ICE claims the IDs simply streamline the process for releasing illegal aliens, and “improve current, inconsistent paper forms that often degrade rapidly in real-world use.” But despite an upgrade from paper to a shiny new government-issued photo ID, the fact remains that these IDs may be wholly unreliable. Many aliens who cross the border provide false information and identification documents, or ditch them altogether, making it hard for agents to verify who they are. When those aliens arrive without identification, they are often processed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using whatever name, date of birth, country of origin, and criminal history the aliens themselves provide. This could result in dangerous aliens entering the country under false identities, and then being provided with a government issued ID to make their illegal stay more convenient.
Members of Congress have repeatedly expressed concerns with the Secure Docket Card Program. In particular, they point to the cost of issuing IDs to illegal aliens and their potential to allow aliens improper access to taxpayer-funded benefits. Last week, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the No Taxpayer Funds for Illegal Immigrant Identity Cards Act, which would prohibit federal funds from going to the Secure Docket Card Program or any similar program. The bill would also require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General to report on any costs associated with the program. Senator Hawley said, “Joe Biden opened the border and ushered in an era of unprecedented chaos in the U.S. And, now, rather than getting the crisis under control, he wants to use Americans’ money to fund ID cards for illegals.”
The Secure Docket Card Program becomes even more nonsensical when considering the rigorous process American citizens must go through to obtain a federally compliant REAL ID. The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005 following the September 11 terrorist attacks, establishes minimum security standards for obtaining driver’s licenses and identification cards to access certain government facilities and to board airline flights. To be issued a REAL ID, Americans—at minimum—must provide documentation showing a full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of address, and lawful status. By May 7, 2025, when REAL ID is fully implemented, every American citizen will be required to go through this process to obtain a REAL ID and board commercial flights, but the Secure Docket Card Program will likely allow illegal aliens to board aircraft without officials really knowing who they are.
Ultimately, the Secure Docket Card Program is a tool the Biden Administration will use to further entrench its open-borders policies. By giving illegal aliens government-issued photo IDs, the Administration is making it easier for illegal aliens to live and work in the U.S., and in reality, rewarding them for breaking the law.
