Online applications for Chicago’s municipal ID program are on hold after the city clerk’s office received a subpoena from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Saturday, the clerk’s office announced a pause in online applications for Chicago CityKey, a multi-purpose ID card issued by the city, citing community concern over federal overreach.
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WATCH HERECityKey is frequently used by those who struggle to obtain other valid forms of identification, including non-citizens. According to the city clerk’s website, every Chicago resident is eligible to obtain a CityKey, regardless of immigration status.
A week before online applications were paused, The Chicago Tribune reported that ICE subpoenaed Valencia’s office in April to obtain the personal information of CityKey applicants from the past three years.
“This was a tough decision as this program serves a number of vulnerable populations that rely on the accessibility of CityKey, and ultimately, that’s also the reason I’m pausing our online platform,” City Clerk Anna Valencia said in a Saturday release. “Making decisions that protect people is vital during a time where the federal government is terrorizing its own people, and I’m going to keep speaking out and standing up for all Chicagoans.”
Speaking to reporters last Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson condemned the federal government’s tactic of seeking residents' personal data.
“It’s bad,” Johnson said. “And it’s wrong.”
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Chicago Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry said the city “respectfully declined within the bounds of the law” to provide the information, citing privacy issues, especially for groups such as domestic violence victims.
Richardson-Lowry added that because the subpoena was administrative, the city is not required to comply. She said if ICE seeks a court order, the city will “respond in kind.”
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SIGN UP “In some other categories, we produce documents that we do think we’re obligated to produce,” Richardson-Lowry said. “But with respect to CityKey, we don’t believe such an obligation exists.”
While online applications are paused, residents can still apply for a card by scheduling an in-person appointment. At these events, all required documentation is returned to the applicant and no online record is retained, according to the release.
CityKey was first introduced in 2017, and the online application was added last year. In addition to being a valid government-issued ID, CityKey acts as a Ventra Card, Chicago Public Library card and prescription drug benefits card.
Residents can use their CityKey to rent an apartment, check into a hospital, purchase over-the-counter medicine and more. Businesses across the city also provide discounts or benefits to CityKey holders.
To obtain a CityKey, residents must provide proof of identity and residency. More information about the program is available on the city clerk’s website.
