Officials of New Haven have just made their city a little more user friendly for immigrants regardless of status. They approved a plan to offer immigrants identification cards that would let them access services that many take for granted like opening bank accounts. The plan is the first of its kind in the United States and goes against the grain of what many cities are doing to make it harder for undocumented immigrants to access basic services or even rent apartments. New Haven has about 15,000 undocumented immigrants.

New Haven already had pretty progressive policies around immigration including federal tax help and prohibiting police from asking about their immigration status.

The program will be started thanks to $250,000 in private funds. The card will be available to all New Haven residents and will cost $10 for adults and $5 for children. The card will also allow residents access to the city public library and to pay for parking meters.

But the cards, of course, are not without controversy. On the one hand there is concern that such a program will be used by the Federal government to track the undocumented. On the other hand, those against the measure fear an influx of immigrants that will strain city services.

What do you think? Is such a card a good idea? Why or why not?

Via / Fox News & NBC 30