Chicago has paused online applications for its municipal ID program, CityKey, after the city clerk’s office received a subpoena from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The decision came amid growing concern in the community about federal overreach.
CityKey is a multi-purpose ID card that helps many residents, including non-citizens, who have difficulty obtaining other forms of identification. According to the city clerk’s website, any Chicago resident can apply for CityKey, regardless of immigration status.
Last week, The Chicago Tribune reported that ICE had subpoenaed the city clerk’s office in April to access the personal information of CityKey applicants from the past three years. In response, City Clerk Anna Valencia said pausing the online application was a difficult but necessary step to protect vulnerable populations who rely on the program.
“This program serves many vulnerable people,” Valencia said. “But with the federal government targeting its own residents, I must pause the online platform to protect them. I will keep standing up for all Chicagoans.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson also criticized the federal government’s attempt to obtain residents’ personal data. “It’s bad, and it’s wrong,” he said.
Chicago’s Corporation Counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, explained that the city has legally declined to provide the requested information, citing privacy concerns, especially for groups like domestic violence survivors. She noted that since the subpoena is administrative, the city is not required to comply. If ICE pursues a court order, the city will respond accordingly.
The city continues to accept CityKey applications through in-person appointments. At these events, applicants receive all documents back, and no online records are kept.
CityKey was launched in 2017, with online applications introduced last year. Beyond serving as a government-issued ID, CityKey also functions as a Ventra transit card, Chicago Public Library card, and prescription drug benefits card. Residents use it to rent apartments, access hospitals, buy medicine, and receive discounts from local businesses.
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