The identification cards being offered to illegal immigrants in New York City by Mayor Bill de Blasio pose a serious public safety hazard, Jessica Vaughn of the Center for Immigration Studies tells
Newsmax TV.
"First of all, they really are just naked political pandering to groups that support illegal aliens and advocate for amnesty," Vaughn told J.D. Hayworth on "America's Forum" on Monday.
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"They're a terrible idea for public safety because ... the city is not able to actually verify the identity of the people that they're issuing these cards to, so anyone can get one," Vaughn said.
In addition, "people can get multiple identification cards and that means that police can't rely on them for identity." The same goes for merchants and landlords, she added.
Dee Dee Benkie, conservative commentator from Red Girls Salon, agrees that the ID cards are "a security threat."
Benkie and Vaughn both predict that the cards will eventually be used to allow illegal immigrants voting rights in the city.
Liberal commentator Josh Orton of Progressives United PAC told Newsmax that "mayors like Bill de Blasio have a big problem on their hands, which is that there are thousands of people living in their cities who are undocumented, who have basically been shamed by half of the political establishment in America and are living in the shadows."
According to Orton, the New York City mayor is "trying to solve a problem in his city and frankly, national Republicans need to butt out."
"This is how Bill de Blasio has decided to try and get this problem under control," he added.
In an effort to motivate illegal immigrants in New York City to enroll in the identification program, de Blasio has offered free or
discounted rates to city attractions such as the Bronx Zoo, New York City Ballet, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Carnegie Hall for 2015.
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