United States:San Francisco will give resident identification cards to illegal immigrants under a plan approved on Tuesday amid a fierce US-wide debate on granting privileges to undocumented immigrants.
In a 10-1 vote, the city's board of supervisors - the equivalent of a city council - approved giving identification cards to all residents, including illegal immigrants. The move makes San Francisco the largest US city to back such a plan.
Residents will be able to obtain the cards by presenting photo identification and proof that they live in the city, such as a utility bill.
Such a move had been expected from San Francisco, which is famously liberal. Earlier this year, mayor Gavin Newsom said he would not allow city officials and employees to assist immigration raids by federal authorities seeking people who had committed crimes or disregarded deportation orders.
San Francisco, which declared itself a "sanctuary city" in 1989, also this year established a programme to provide medical care to uninsured residents regardless of their immigration status.
At state level, California's Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has vetoed bills that would allow undocumented aliens to obtain state identification cards, including driver's licences.
By contrast, New York governor Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, proposed giving illegal immigrants driver's licences. But he was forced to drop the plan last week due to overwhelming opposition, even from presidential candidates in his own party, including Hillary Clinton. - (Reuters)