The most common way to show that you are a US citizen is to show a passport. However, only about 50% of US citizens have a passport.
An alternative to a passport is a Certificate of Citizenship.
Certificates of Citizenship and Naturalization show proof that someone is a U.S. citizen. The website https://www.usa.gov/prove-us-citizenship shows how you can get or replace these documents.
Prove your citizenship: born in the U.S. with no birth certificate. If you were born in the U.S. and have no birth certificate, learn how to get documentation to prove you are a U.S. citizen.
Prove your citizenship: born outside the U.S. to a U.S. citizen parent. Prove your U.S. citizenship without a birth certificate if you were born outside the U.S. to a U.S. citizen.
I know it is possible for some people to get a second, valid passport if they travel often enough, so that they can travel when one is being renewed, or if they travel between countries where a visa stamp from some other country might deny them entry.
Maybe "I look brown so ICE may confiscate my passport without due process" can now be a reason to get a second valid passport ....
Elsewhere in a comment someone mentioned Passport Cards. iirc they're only valid for travel to Mexico and Canada, but they are proofs of citizenship, and you can have a card as well as a passport.
With no more due process, an ID and proof of citizenship do not matter at all. They're not checking ID's before hauling people away. And given ICE is going around masked and without uniforms there is no way to verify their authority either. I absolutely loath violence to a point, and that tipping point is the safety of the people in my family and community, regardless of their citizenship. If a group of unidentified masked gunman are attempting to kidnap someone, the only truly patriotic American response is to defend their liberty with all necessary force. Given the murder happy training of our law enforcement, that will obviously result in tragic deaths. But that, protecting the people (all the people, not just citizens) from a corrupt government, is the fundamental justification for the 2nd amendment, always has been.
It's going to be pretty hard for people to fight for their rights when their stuck in a prison in El Salvador. With no due process, people will get shipped off before they have a chance to plead their case.
Just don’t be brown. That’ll keep you safe for a couple of years.
Then be white but only ever say nice things about the glorious leader. You’ll be good for another year. Oh, you may need to be a publicly avowed ‘christian’ too.
Then continue to be white and christian, and be sure to be a card carrying, tribute paying member of the party of the glorious leader.
No, the closest thing to an ID card in the US is either a drivers license (which does not prove citizenship, any legal resident can get one) or a Passport (which does require citizenship by review of birth certificate).
Any US citizen who does not have a Passport (or Certificate of Citizenship/Naturalization) has no document proving their citizenship. A very high number of US citizens have no documentation to show their status as citizens.
As others say, ID has always been issued by states and is usually a drivers license, but also
until recently there was not standard security, so IDs that are not “Real ID” compliant have different standards
some states explicitly do not ask about immigration status. It’s better to have all drivers licensed and insured than for immigrants to drive unlicensed and uninsured
some states explicitly do not ask about immigration status. It’s better to have all drivers licensed and insured than for immigrants to drive unlicensed and uninsured
Interesting, that makes sense. I don’t think it’s possible in my country (France) for foreigners to take their driving test without a valid residence permit.
Not to discount this helpful and important information but, for the people you're trying to direct this to, I genuinely don't think it matters. This administration has thrown out habeas corpus and due process. And they have done this because a substantial portion of the population voted in favor of kicking people out who don't look like them. It's called Nationalism. And with that comes Fascism.
The core identity of the United States is disintegrating by public opinion. The one thing that brought pride to generations of Americans is being driven out and replaced with the same reasons people had left other countries in favor of the US. It's gut-wrenching.
So, yeah, get your papers but don't let it fool you into believing it protects you.
Hah - also funny to look at "only about 50% of US citizens have a passport" to understand exactly why we've turned into Nationalists.
I think only 50% of people have passports is because most people can't afford to travel and a bunch of them that do just wanted to visit Canada or Mexico
Until 9/11 we could visit Canada and Mexico with a drivers license or birth certificate and 3/4 of the time only the driver has to show theirs and just vouch for the whole car.
We drove through southern Ontario probably 20 times in the more 80s alone.
Which is also why "self deport" is such a scam. Even were it moral to tell anyone to do that, how are they supposed to board a plane to go to another country without passport or visa?
Yeah any citizenship proof would come out of due process. Without it, its just whoever they want to not be a citizen. Fame is about the only thing that might help you.
And a passport is only good for ten years. So if you're planning to be around more then 110 years (and not leave the smoldering remnants of the USA), the Certificate of Citizen is the smart money move.