Walker Signs Bill Blocking Issuing IDs – Boycott of Menard’s Planned
Madison – Gov. Scott Walker has signed a bill that hinders Milwaukee’s efforts to provide local photo IDs to the homeless, immigrants in the country illegally and others who have difficulty obtaining state IDs.
The Republican-backed bill prohibits towns and counties from spending money on or issuing photo IDs. It also prohibits using city or village IDs to vote or obtain public benefits, like food stamps.
Thousands of protesters packed the state Capitol in February to protest the bill and another failed proposal that would have banned so-called “sanctuary cities.”
Critics call the ID bill anti-immigrant and said it’s aimed at Milwaukee city and county plans to issue local IDs to assist with everyday tasks, like opening bank accounts or obtaining prescriptions. The bill’s supporters say it will reduce confusion and fraud.
In response to Governor Walker’s signing of the bill into law, Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) released the following statement:
“Governor Walker and the Republicans in the State Legislature should be ashamed of themselves for taking away local governments’ ability to recognize and respond to the needs of some of their most vulnerable constituents, and they will suffer consequences for their bigotry,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “We made it clear that if this bill was passed we would call for a boycott of one of Governor Walker’s largest corporate funders, and on May 1st, in Milwaukee and throughout the nation, we will be calling on all people who believe in the dignity of all people to boycott Menard’s.”
