Wyandotte County passes 'Safe And Welcoming Act,' providing municipal IDs for immigrants

Advocates say the ordinance will protect vulnerable members of the community including immigrants and those who are homeless. Supporters are also hopeful the new measure will encourage collaboration with law enforcement.
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County’s Board of Commissioners passed the "Safe and Welcoming Wyandotte Act" late Thursday night by a vote of 6-4, a move advocates call a win for immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, elderly residents and the formerly incarcerated. The new measure will provide municipal IDs to residents without legal identification.

Yazmin Bruno Valdez, a community organizer for Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, was among the supporters who attended Thursday's meeting. Valdez is an immigrant who said she lived without legal identification for more than 20 years