NEW YORK—Bill de Blasio is expected to announce a plan to create universal city ID cards for all city residents at the annual State of the City Speech on Feb. 10, according to El Diario, a Spanish language media.
The cards will enable immigrants to access essential services like creating a bank account or signing an apartment lease.
De Blasio proposed the plan during his campaign for mayor last year.
The ID cards are expected to foster better relation between police and immigrants, who often don’t report crimes for fear of being deported.
Similar ID cards in New Haven, Connecticut, yielded a 20 percent crime decrease even as crime reporting increased.
San Francisco and Los Angeles are also close to approving city ID cards.
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