This panel explores NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ proposed expansion of municipal data collection and digitization of city services, and the danger that this plan poses to undocumented New Yorkers. The current municipal ID, IDNYC, is a lifeline for undocumented communities, especially with photo ID needed to access increasing numbers of public spaces. But Mayor Adams’ plan could put these communities at risk. Some of the proposed uses of a city ID, such as the planned integration of electronic payment functions and radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, would come at the cost of the IDNYC program’s current anonymity. Anti-money laundering and know-your-customer laws would require the city to retain information that was previously destroyed. If changes are made to IDNYC, it would transform from a privacy-preserving protection for immigrant New Yorkers into a ready repository of tracking data for ICE. In addition to evaluating proposed expansions of IDNYC features and enrollment, the panelists will also examine expanded safeguards that should be enacted to protect card users. 

Cosponsored with the Information Society Project at Yale Law School and the Information Law Institute at the NYU School of Law

Panelists:

Natalia Aristizabal Betancur, Make the Road NY 

Deyanira Del Río, New Economy Project

Alli Finn, Immigrant Defense Project

Albert Fox Cahn, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.) 

Eleni Manis (moderator), Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.)

Participants should register in advance for this Zoom webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d6nJT0TuSRqIcmSJjJrOGw