Dallas-area Immigrants Apply for Catholic Church-issued IDs to Ease Deportation Fears

Nearly 300 people sat inside San Juan Diego Catholic Church in North Dallas at 8 a.m. on a recent Saturday — but none were there for Mass.The predominantly Hispanic crowd sat in pews or stood against the white walls as they waited for a group of church volunteers seated near the altar to call out their assigned numbers. Many were immigrants living in the United States illegally, making them ineligible to get a Texas-issued identification card. But now they and other unauthorized immigrants are able to apply for a church-issued ID provided by a handful of Dallas-area Catholic churches, including San Juan Diego. In recent months, Dallas, Carrollton and Farmers Branch began giving their police the discretion to accept the cards as a form of identification. The cards include the applicant’s photograph, date of birth, address, church logo and church membership number — elements recommended by the Catholic Diocese of Dallas.  Continue reading...