An Ol' Broad's Ramblings
What Is A “Valid Id”?
Valid IDs may not keep immigrants out of jail
Jose Estrada sipped chocolate milk outside a Madison coin-operated laundry just after sunrise, waiting for his boss to arrive and open the door.
Metro police Officer James Pearce patrolled the neighborhood along Dickerson Pike, one having trouble with break-ins.
Their chance meeting, Estrada’s identification and Pearce’s assessment of it led to Estrada’s arrest on criminal impersonation charges and possible deportation.
This makes it sound like the guy was busted for drinking milk. 
The case brings to light the challenges immigrants face in proving their identity clearly enough to avoid an arrest. Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, Mexican voter registrations and consulate-issued cards aren’t always enough to keep them out of jail. And a police spokesman admits not all officers can recognize valid ID outside what typical Tennesseans carry.
This “typical Tennessean” had to show all kind of ID to get her “typical Tennessean” driver’s license, including a birth certificate! Unless a person is actually working for the Consulate, seems to me that such an ID would be rather suspicious. This “typical Tennessean” also had to produce a birth certificate for Jr, another almost “typical Tennessean” to attend public school (long story). If we, who are obviously NOT illegal, have to produce valid documentation, why is someone with a really good tan not required to do the same? Yes, I’m aware that there are illegals from all over the world, but where do the vast MAJORITY call “home”?
What ultimately happened to Estrada raised enough questions that his attorney, the district attorney’s office and a judge agreed two weeks ago to set aside Estrada’s guilty plea. He’ll face a new hearing on the criminal impersonation charges, and he’ll also face an immigration judge because sheriff’s officials at the jail alerted federal authorities that Estrada entered the country illegally. That office’s participation in the 287g program, named for a section of federal law, gives it limited authority for immigration enforcement.
“This case is the perfect storm,” said attorney Elliott Ozment, who is handling Estrada’s and Villegas’ cases. “It demonstrates the multitude of wrongs created by some wrong-headed policies about state ID and the litany of outrages that are just a regular part of the 287g program as implemented by the sheriff to remove so-called dangerous criminals from Davidson County.”
Golly gee willakers! Heaven forbid the Sheriff’s department actually do their job, and ENFORCE the freakin’ law! Once again I’ll ask the question: What part of ILLEGAL does these people not understand?
Immigrant advocates who have searched probable cause affidavits said a pattern emerged: Local officers don’t understand or refuse to recognize ID issued by other nations.
“You will see over and over again that the person had ‘a Hispanic ID card,’ ” said Stephen Fotopulos, executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
He said moves to restrict giving state-issued ID to immigrants ineligible for driver’s licenses aren’t in the public’s best interest.
Oh yes it is! If people are here LEGALLY, then there shouldn’t be a problem. They’d have some kind of US issued ID card….green card, whatever. A visitor (tourist) from another country would have a passport.
One commenter added:
By the way folks, you probably don’t know this but the Metricula Consular card is not ID. It is not valid ID even in Mexico. Once you illegally enter the country you go to the consulate and they give you this thing which some banks will accept, along with a taxpayer ID number, to open an bank account (which ought to be illegal). It’s not valid ID anywhere, even in Mexico.
So let me ask: Why are the U.S. law enforcement officers suppose to accept these phony IDs as legit?
I’m also getting fed up with these yahoos being called “immigrant advocates”! They are nothing more than criminals abetting other criminals!
WHAT TO CARRY
Under Metro police policy effective July 1, 2005, here are preferred forms of photo identification:
* driver’s license
* government employee or military ID
* student ID
Personally, I’d remove the ‘student ID’ from the list.
Other forms of identification that can be accepted but are considered less reliable:
* vehicle registrations, titles
* government food or housing documents
* voter registration cards
* club, fraternal or service organization membership cards
* Social Security cards
* birth certificates
* jail ID
* parole or probation documents
* rent or utility bills or receipts
If it doesn’t have a phote attached, it shouldn’t be acceptable! Again, I’d definitely take the rent or utility bills or receipts off the list. Seems you can rent a place almost anywhere in the country these days and not have to worry about being legal. Think Farmers Branch, TX.
