Immigration and Customs Enforcement is set to launch a pilot ID program aimed at modernizing documentation for illegal immigrants, with initial rollouts in Houston and Atlanta.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to introduce a pilot ID card program, known as the ‘Secure Docket Card,’ for illegal immigrants this summer. This initiative, first reported in 2022, aims to modernize the documentation process for removal proceedings and improve the management of immigrants’ statuses within the U.S. The pilot program will initially distribute approximately 10,000 cards at three or four locations across the country, including potential rollouts in Houston and Atlanta.
According to Fox News, the ‘Secure Docket Card’ is designed to replace the numerous paper documents that illegal immigrants currently receive upon entry, which can pose security risks and are susceptible to degradation. The new ID cards, which are not to be recognized as official federal identification, will only be issued following comprehensive national security background checks.
ICE emphasizes that the transition to secure digital cards will streamline the agency’s operations by reducing costs, freeing up resources, and expediting access to information for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. This change is also expected to decrease the backlog of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests the agency faces.
The program, described as “pre-decisional” and still subject to changes, has been met with skepticism and concern from some political corners. Critics argue that providing ID cards to illegal immigrants could lead to further regularization of their status and potentially facilitate access to other documents and benefits.
RJ Hauman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE) and a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation, expressed significant concerns regarding the implications of the program. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Hauman criticized the timing of the rollout and its potential effects on national security. “Just in time for the election, the Biden administration is quietly legitimizing a government-sanctioned invasion of our nation,” he said. “Providing illegal aliens with identification will undoubtedly lead to obtaining other documents, benefits and rights — or create an entirely new identity.”
This initiative comes amid broader discussions on immigration policy and border security, with Republicans pushing for a citizenship question on the census and advocating for sweeping border security measures. The Biden administration, meanwhile, contends it is managing a hemisphere-wide crisis within a “broken” system, urging Congress to pass reforms and provide necessary funding.
As the program’s expected launch approaches, it remains a focal point in the ongoing debate over immigration policy and the balance between regulatory oversight and humanitarian considerations.