Chicago city officials have suspended their online identification card program following a federal subpoena from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking applicant data.
The decision represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between sanctuary cities and federal immigration authorities.
The CityKey ID program allowed residents to obtain government-issued identification cards regardless of immigration status, gender identity or criminal background.
The program served as a cornerstone of Chicago’s sanctuary city policies, providing documentation to individuals who might otherwise lack official identification.
City Clerk Anna Valencia announced the suspension on Friday, June 13, after ICE demanded access to information about program applicants.
The timing of the announcement suggests city officials were caught off guard by the federal agency’s aggressive pursuit of applicant records, per reports.
Valencia stated the suspension resulted from what she characterized as pressure from immigration activists and federal overreach.
“We did hear, ‘Let’s pause the online platform temporarily as we take a pulse and evaluate what’s happening,’” Valencia told the Chicago Tribune.
The city clerk emphasized that officials would assess the situation daily and could reactivate the online system when conditions change.
Valencia declared the city would resist providing applicant information to federal authorities.
“I want to be very clear that we’re going to fight giving over any data to the federal government… No data was given over to ICE, period, zero, for the CityKey,” she stated.
She directed criticism at the current federal administration’s approach to immigration enforcement.
“I want to go back to the original problem, that if this Trump administration wasn’t overreaching for private people’s data, this would not even be a conversation,” Valencia said.
The city clerk also added that “This is Trump doing a witch hunt and intentionally trying to instill fear in people so that they can overtake our democracy.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has urged residents to oppose federal immigration enforcement actions, according to news reports.
Elon Musk has suggested that certain political parties benefit electorally from immigration policies.
In social media posts, Musk has claimed that some officials support immigration policies to influence voting patterns.
“The Democratic Party’s strategy relies on unchecked illegal immigration to create a permanent underclass of voters who will keep them in power,” Musk stated on X.
Critics argue that programs like CityKey could potentially enable voter fraud by allowing non-citizens to register or vote in elections.
These concerns stem from questions about how identification documents are verified and used in voter registration processes.
Rift News reported that the CityKey program began operations in 2017, initially processing applications through in-person visits to limit public records exposure.
The original design aimed to protect applicant privacy while providing necessary identification services to residents who lacked traditional documentation.
City officials expanded the program to include online applications as demand increased from various resident groups.
The online portal was introduced to handle growing numbers of applicants, including individuals seeking identification during the ongoing immigration challenges facing the city.
Under public records laws, application documents cannot be destroyed, making them subject to potential federal subpoenas.
Rift News noted that an Economist/YouGov survey found that 45 percent of Americans view ICE favorably, suggesting public backing for enforcement activities.
Chicago maintains its sanctuary city designation, limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The post Chicago Officials Panic, Shut Down ID Portal for Illegal Aliens After Federal Subpoena appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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