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How do you prove you are a citizen?

Tmy

Philosopher
Tmy
Joined
Oct 23, 2002
Messages
6,487
THeres been alot of talk of the police acting as INS agents. Lets say you get pulled aside by the cops. And they question you are a citizen. How do you prove your were born in the US or are legal somehow?

I dont carry my birth certificate around. Not like that cant be faked anyway. So how can the police go about rounding up illegals? If they pick up a real citizen or legal resident by accident, havent they commited an illegal arrest and are now open up to a lawsuit?
 
Cylinder said:
There is nothing illegal about arresting an innocent person.
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You have to have cause to arrest. I dont think that having brown skin is enough of a reason. (though that is used a hell of alot!)
 
Tmy said:
THeres been alot of talk of the police acting as INS agents. Lets say you get pulled aside by the cops. And they question you are a citizen. How do you prove your were born in the US or are legal somehow?

I dont carry my birth certificate around. Not like that cant be faked anyway. So how can the police go about rounding up illegals? If they pick up a real citizen or legal resident by accident, havent they commited an illegal arrest and are now open up to a lawsuit?
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Deja Vu.
 
Tmy said:
THeres been alot of talk of the police acting as INS agents. Lets say you get pulled aside by the cops. And they question you are a citizen. How do you prove your were born in the US or are legal somehow?
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I can answer that one at least. I assume you carry your driver's license with you at all times? Problem solved.
 
Tmy said:
THeres been alot of talk of the police acting as INS agents. Lets say you get pulled aside by the cops. And they question you are a citizen. How do you prove your were born in the US or are legal somehow?
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fret not, in most border states its against the law for cops to inquire over your citizenship
 
Solus said:
I can answer that one at least. I assume you carry your driver's license with you at all times? Problem solved.
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So does that devolve the responsibility of adequate citizenship testing on the traffic authorities (or whoever issue licenses)?

Here's a related question to consider: How would an Arizona highway patrol cop know a genuine New South Wales (Australia) license from a fake one?
 
They ask who the last American idol was. Anyone who seriously tries to name a name as an answer gets shot in the head. THe people who say "Who F'kin Cares?!" are citizens.
 
It's easy. Workplaces keep employees' SSN's on hand for tax purposes. So, they raid the workplace, find and check the employee records. They call the SSN's in; employees that have fake SSN's on file, get arrested.
 
Zep said:
So does that devolve the responsibility of adequate citizenship testing on the traffic authorities (or whoever issue licenses)?

Here's a related question to consider: How would an Arizona highway patrol cop know a genuine New South Wales (Australia) license from a fake one?
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I think it was a question of how would a USA-ian prove their USA-iness, in which case a drivers licence may suffice (though whether a patrolman in Nowheresville Alabama could spot a fake Hawaii licence is another issue).

In the U.S. I always carry my passport, not least because in many states it's the only piece of I.D. they'll accept when I want to buy an alcoholic drink. My old passport (the "proper" dark blue one) wasn't acceptable as I.D. on the grounds that my birthdate was hand written (before the page was laminated).
 
Surely the emphasis should always be the other way round? I.e. you do not need to prove to the state or its representatives that you are a citizen they need to prove that you are not?
 
Darat said:
Surely the emphasis should always be the other way round? I.e. you do not need to prove to the state or its representatives that you are a citizen they need to prove that you are not?
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Check.

DR
 
I'm white. Luckily, they won't ever ask me.

Oh, I forgot. There's no such thing as white privilege, my bad.
 
How do you prove you are a citizen?
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Eh?

Supposedly, at one time, Canadian Immigration used to check the citizenship of "Torontonians" at the border by asking them for the phone number of PIZZA-PIZZA.

Bonus points and etc . . . ..
 
Solus said:
I can answer that one at least. I assume you carry your driver's license with you at all times? Problem solved.
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You don't have to be a citizen to have a legal driver's license. Resident aliens can have them. They aren't "illegals", but they aren't citizens either.
 
The Don said:
My old passport (the "proper" dark blue one) wasn't acceptable as I.D. on the grounds that my birthdate was hand written (before the page was laminated).
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My current, and valid until 2011, Irish passport has all the important fields filled out by hand. Even though it's laminated and stuff it's so often a talking point at borders nowadays that I tend to show my French ID card instead.
 
TragicMonkey said:
You don't have to be a citizen to have a legal driver's license. Resident aliens can have them. They aren't "illegals", but they aren't citizens either.
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It doesn't note if you are a citizen or not?

And what if you don't have one, or left your wallet at home? What if you are at the beach?
 
TragicMonkey said:
You don't have to be a citizen to have a legal driver's license. Resident aliens can have them. They aren't "illegals", but they aren't citizens either.
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Non-resident students and exchange visitors can also have them. They get SSNs to receive scholarships, and that's enough to get a license. There is no notice of any kind on the license.
 
Pssst - hey. I've already answered the question for you guys:

Joshua Korosi said:
It's easy. Workplaces keep employees' SSN's on hand for tax purposes. So, they raid the workplace, find and check the employee records. They call the SSN's in; employees that have fake SSN's on file, get arrested.
Click to expand...
 
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