National Worker ID Card Proposed for Immigration Plan

A comprehensive immigration bill coming together in the Senate could include a requirement that all American workers obtain a national biometric identification card.

Under the proposal, all legal U.S. workers, including citizens and immigrants, would get an ID card with information such as fingerprints embedded onto it, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The effort is being spearheaded by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). They and their supporters say requiring companies to hire only people with worker ID cards would keep illegal immigrants from taking American jobs.

Privacy advocates fear such a card, which is common in European countries, would become a de facto national ID that would allow the government to track citizens.

Schumer and Graham hope to meet with President Obama on the issue this week. An administration official told the Journal the White House had no position on the worker ID card.