Commentary on "Community ID Cards"

Courier News reporter Sergio Bichao's story on the "Community ID Card" allegedly backed by the city and police sounds an additional alarm about the program in this writer's mind.

As reported by Bichao, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and activist Carmen Salavarrieta are publicizing the program, which is operated through "Angels for Action." While Salavarrieta was not a member of the failed Plainfield Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, she was identified by Assemblyman Jerry Green as being "involved" with it:

"Mrs. Salavarrieta is not a member of the committee. The Mayor just asked her if she would be involved due to her experience in dealing with similar issues. Mr. Ortega agreed that she would be a great asset."
Norman Ortega identified himself at the time as the founder of Angels in Action Foundation (since supplanted by the 501(c)3 Angels for Action Inc.) and was a member of the commission, along with another Angels in Action member. The long-awaited commission soon became controversial, as comments on this post show, and it faded away, never to be reconstituted.

Although she is not a city resident, Salavarrieta remains a political figure in Plainfield. I think one can legitimately ask why, now that Plainfield has a 40 percent Hispanic population, politicians must rely on a non-resident for advice on how to address the needs of this demographic. The sale of "community" photo IDs through Salavarrieta's Angels For Action makes one wonder whether the recipients of these cards are unknowingly being identified for political purposes as well as for practical reasons.

 

The ID appears to be redundant, if one already has the documents described in a pitch for the card: "A formal protocol is used to confirm identity and domicile. Examples of combined 

documents required to obtain the Community ID Card are: passport, driver’s license, 

or consular card, AND a lease, or utility/phone bill."
 

Recipients are assured that "To address any privacy and confidentiality concerns, none of the personal data will be retained in digital or paper form. All cardholder information will be erased once 

the card is issued." 

Still, by applying at the Angels for Action office, recipients make themselves known to Salavarrieta or her staff. If there is any thought of political organizing for local candidates, it should be disclosed along with the stated purposes of the program.

--Bernice

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