The first-ever Municipal ID Conference organized by Cities United for Immigration Action (CUIA) in partnership with New York City, New Haven and San Francisco’s municipal ID programs will take place on Monday, May 18, 2015. The conference will be held in New York City and convene participants from over 20 cities and counties across the country including: Newark, NJ; Pittsburgh, PA; St. Louis, MO; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; Austin, TX; New Orleans, LA; Chicago, IL; Paterson, NJ; Jersey City, NJ; Dayton, OH; Philadelphia, PA; Boston, MA; Hartford, CT; Baltimore, MD; Phoenix, AZ; Bridgeport, CT; and Washtenaw County, MI. Lucas County Commissioner Gerken will be joining the conference as part of the county’s Welcome Toledo-Lucas County Initiative, which works to build a vibrant, welcoming, and immigrant-friendly community.

The conference will review municipal ID program models from New York City, New Haven, and San Francisco, including a visit to one of the IDNYC sites to see the program in action. The conference will provide an opportunity for participants to learn and share best practices and highlight why municipal ID’s matter so that cities and counties nationwide can take the lead to build inclusive and prosperous cities.

Led by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Cities United for Immigration Action is a coalition of city and county elected officials committed to strengthening communities by keeping families’ together, further growing economies, and fostering additional community trust in law enforcement and government. The Board of Lucas County Commissioners recently became one of the first counties to join Cities United for Immigration Action.