Miami-Dade County is approaching the establishment of new ID on Wednesday for illegal immigrants, homeless people, those who cannot obtain state ID or who do not want it.
The County Commission has almost unanimously approved the long-stagnation County Commission. Suggestion The arrangement for an external group to issue an ID card with Miami-Dade approval was designed to avoid creating a government database of non-regular residents subject to public records law.
Broward County and Palm Beach County are already implementing programs similar to nonprofits, and supporters can test and vaccinate COVID-19 for Miami-Dade’s vast non-regular population with a card. It says it will be much more attractive.
“They were very nervous because they wanted to connect their identities in the first place of getting the vaccine. Scared them“Sponsor Irene Higgins said. There is Little Havana in the area and many non-US citizens.” This means you live in Miami-Dade County. We are aware of that. “
Commissioner Joe Martinez was the only one to vote unvoted, citing theft of personal information, fraud, and the possibility of special confidentiality measures not given to Florida driver’s license owners. “If we publish all the records, that should be the case,” he said.
This vote was a big win for supporters of the ID card program. The ID card program had been stagnant for years before the committee.commissioner Juan C. ZapataThe first sponsor was to hold Martinez’s seat until 2016.
Zapata’s proposal was taken over by second sponsor Daniela Levine Cava, then a county commissioner, and now the mayor. Her ID proposal was opposed by county police chief Freddie Ramirez. Was rejected last year. Now part of the Levine Cava administration, Ramirez urged the commissioner Approve the program.
In a recent interview, Ramirez said, “No one wants to get the social services they need.” This is a humanitarian issue, and that’s the number one. “
Even on Wednesday’s win, Levine Cava needs to ensure fee support for the final ID card plan. This includes her choice of having an external group manage it. She and Higgins wanted the nonprofits to issue cards with grants, but the tag agency industry is lobbying for commercial organizations to manage the program.
The resolution passed on Wednesday leaves future votes with what details the ID card will contain, what it will look like, and other rules for securing the ID.
Miami-Dade approves the cards and decides which agency will accept them. The ID does not qualify the owner for voting or driving, but the owner obtains library cards, park rentals, and other Miami-Dade services that somehow require identification. can do.
“We have danced on this issue in this chamber,” said Sally Hayman, who was first elected to the board in 2002.