Need Help: Where is it mandated that we have to carry identification?

[MadMaddie]

I am having an arugment with a rightie we are arguing over the AZ law.


I am arguing that it is not law that I must carry an Id and I know that
If we drive cars yea you dneed a dl.
I read this somewhere..maybe on DU.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[pitohui]

1. it goes state by state, in nevada it's mandated, has been for decades

there is no federal law to my knowledge, i am not required to have ID in a public place here in louisiana, example, if i'm walking i don't have to show ID if stopped by the police, it's OK to explain i don't have it on me

in nevada, not having the ID in that situation is some kind of offense, not a big one, but you can get a ticket

so for me, in practice, it has been state by state

the only federal ID is the passport, which is too large and impractical to carry around, if they want a national ID it needs to be credit card/driver's license size in my humble opinion so people can still jog, stroll, run outside the house and talk to the neighbor for a minute, without having to carry an entire book

i don't know anything or have any experience of arizona law so can't help you there but it prob. depends on how it's written if it will stand up to a legal challenge, many challenged the nevada law over the past 30 years, they didn't get anywhere

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

3. I do believe non-citizens must have thier ID or proof lawful presence onhand at all times.

But for american citizens there's nothing federal saying you have to have an ID with you ever.

[DJ13]

6. Thats it

[walldude]

4. Yup, State by State...

I know that some states also have laws where you have to have at least a dollar in your pocket or you could be arrested for loitering. We have some crazy fucked up laws.

[mcollins]

12. They make a passport card the size of a credit card.

We got them before we took our trip to Canada this spring.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. "Ve must see your papers!"

Dumb law.:thumbsdown:

[elleng]

5. NO WHERE; don't exist.

Probs with proving this 'negative.' Sorry

[MadMaddie]

7. You have all confirmed what I thought

It is state by state and there is no national law mandating that American citizens must carry id.

Thanks everyone!

[NYC Liberal]

8. As far as I know, the ACLU recommends that you "use your best judgement"

Even though you aren't required to, you could still be arrested (even if it's illegal).

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. THe ONLY place I can think that even qualifies

is the PX, but that is kind of like a job ID.

[Warpy]

10. I think the gist is that anyone suspected of being an alien

has to have something besides a driver's license when stopped for a traffic violation, like their green card, if they're residents, or their passport with current visa if they're not. That part of it is reasonable and most countries do that. They have to produce a birth certificate or passport to prove citizenship if they were born here, which is the unreasonable part of the whole thing.

It also allows the cops to profile people right out of the starting gate, a resurgence of Jim Crow that a lot of us find repugnant, especially in a part of the country which was settled by Mexico and in which many people still have Spanish as their first language.

[Hoopla Phil]

11. No federal law to have I.D. unless you are a guest in this country.

Resident aliens are supposed to keep their green card on them but the Feds enforce that rather leniently. Reason being is that green cards are very hot items on the black market. As a result most resident aliens keep them locked up in a safe at home or in a safe deposit box.

States vary. In Texas you do not have to present I.D. (unless you are driving and have to show a drivers license) but you are required to GIVE you I.D. The law says that you must tell an officer, if asked, your name and address of where you reside.

Don't know about AZ laws in I.D.

[stray cat]

13. as long as you need no prove of ID - you currently shouldn't