“I congratulate Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Members Carlos Menchaca and Daniel Dromm, as well as the entire City Council for passing legislation to create municipal identification cards in our city. I have called for municipal identification cards since I first served in the New York State Assembly, and today’s vote marks a major step forward for equity in treatment for undocumented residents of the five boroughs.
“For too long, the undocumented community has been denied important services for lack of proper paperwork. In addition, municipal identification cards will make it easier for this community to cooperate with law enforcement.
“My office handles many constituent cases each year from undocumented residents and their families, and many of them are afraid to cooperate with city government and the police for fear of reprisal. This proposal will bring this community out of the shadows, making our city safer for everyone. I congratulate Mayor de Blasio for making this proposal a priority in his ‘State of the City,’” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.