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.
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