Democrats propose fingerprint ID for foreigners and citizens alike

Requiring identification of foreigners in the United States is not a Republican idea. In fact, it’s been required since 1940, when Franklin Roosevelt was president. And a new immigration bill proposed by the Democrats would expand that requirement.

This bill would force all workers, foreigners and citizens, to carry a national ID card.

The advantage of this ID card, which would include biometric information such as fingerprints or eye scans, is that it would avoid the targeting of foreigners. The disadvantage is that it would target all of us, stripping us of one of our last remaining curtains of privacy.

Hole in the wall. The ACLU already is complaining about the new bill, and it should be. But the legislation brings us back to basics. Do we enforce the requirement that foreigners and people likely to be foreigners show reliable ID papers? Or do we finish that wall at the border? Or both.

The serious solutions are obvious. Let’s see if anyone in this lost government can get serious.

Frank Warner

Comments

[Kevin]

RACIST!!!!!!

Well, that's what they'll say. I'm just giving you early warning :).

[Frank Warner]

I don't think so. The second day anyone focuses on this problem, the only solutions turn out to be ID or a fully controlled border.

That's my point here. The Democratic bill turned to ID. And as they debate the privacy implications, they'll look again at completing the wall where it is needed.

[Kevin]

Your article and comment both make great sense, but I'm still calling them RACIST!!!!!

Don't get me wrong. I have no doubt that you are quite right, Frank. But you are going to be labeled a 'RACIST!!!!!' by stating the facts.

Unless of course you change your name to Franco Warner. Or Julio. Otherwise, you can't talk about this stuff without being labeled RACIST!!!!!

RACIST!!!!!

;)

[jj mollo]

It's already enforced. Police ask to see your driver's license when you're walking. If you don't have it, they treat you suspiciously. If you have it and refuse to show it, they treat you with hostility. Not now, of course. But years ago when I didn't look so harmless, unwarranted challenges occurred. The fact is, police will use whatever they can get away with, and Arizona's governor is dreaming if she thinks she can control that tendency.

Nevertheless, she didn't have much choice. The Feds have been negligent and lax. Congress needs to pass something. Either defend the borders or expel the illegals. There hasn't been an immigration crisis of comparable size since the fall of the Roman Empire. We simply cannot take them all. Unfortunately, the US government is almost designed to be negligent.

[Kevin (it's pronounced Hay Soos)]

Like Franco's statements, there's great wisdom to be found in what Juan Jose Mollo says as well. How DO we stop the police from abusing this law?

[Frank Warner]

I'm not sure Congress even has to pass a law. There is a law. Remember, it's the law that made me and millions of others show their papers back in 1986 and 1987 in order to get a job.

That wall -- which was approved years ago -- has one advantage. It doesn't depend on the will of a president, a Congress, employers or police to enforce it. There should be a better way, but no one is looking very hard for it.