One Way Cities Are Welcoming Immigrants

IDs aren’t just about identification — they’re about connection. This episode dives into the power of municipal ID programs to foster trust and open doors. We learn from successful programs in two very different cities — New York City and Greensboro, N.C. — that strive to be inclusive.

For undocumented and underdocumented residents, not having an ID can mean being excluded from all kinds of basic services. You can't drive or open a bank account without an ID. You may be afraid to report crimes to law enforcement. The list goes on.

But a few cities across the U.S. are experimenting with municipal ID programs — a simple form of ID that provides anyone, including undocumented residents and the unhoused, a way to access essential parts of their cities. In today's episode, we're learning about Greensboro, North Carolina's FaithAction ID initiative as well as New York City's IDNYC program. Both programs were born out of collaboration between nonprofits, police departments and local governments – and both have been replicated by other municipalities across the country.

“A lot of the clients that come in, sometimes they've recently arrived to Greensboro,” says Araceli Lopez, a community nurse who works at Faith Action International House and helps people get a FaithAction ID card to be able to access medical care. “Maybe five days ago that they just arrived, and they've been having chronic health conditions. The first thing I will ask them if it is if they have an ID, and sometimes they've lost everything on their journey here.”