County staff to work with City of EP to develop ID for undocumented immigrants
El Paso County Commissioners voted Monday to work with the City of El Paso on developing a locally-based identification card.
The item was placed on Monday’s agenda by Precinct 2 Commissioner David Stout. It passed with a vote of 4-1, with Precinct 4 Commissioner Andrew Haggerty voting against it.
The discussion got heated at times, particularly as Haggerty questioned why the county was getting involved in what he said is a state responsibility.
“We are duplicating services,” Haggerty said. “We are the lowest form of state government. Why are we duplicating state government’s work, when the state is already giving IDs at a cheaper rate than we’re proposing? I don’t see why we’re doing it.”
With the vote, county staff have been directed to start investigating what it would take to create a local ID card. Stout has said he expects the cards will cost $30. State IDs in Texas cost $16 for most residents.
Stout argued Monday a local ID card could make it easier for marginalized populations like undocumented immigrants, homeless, youth, elderly and others to get an ID. Stout and the Border Network for Human Rights estimate in between 50,000 to 60,000 people in El Paso County would be eligible for this ID.
“I don’t see it as a duplication because the state doesn’t provide IDs to this population,” Stout said.
“The population aren’t citizens of this country,” Haggerty said in response. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to sound like a racist, but they’re not citizens here. I don’t have a Mexican ID because I’m not a citizen of Mexico.”
