NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio Offers Free Zoo Passes To Illegal Immigrants

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is offering free zoo passes and other half-price tickets and admission freebies to illegal immigrants in his city. The rewards for the individuals who broke the law to enter the United States is a part of de Blasio’s plan to coax the illegal immigrants to an identification card program. Those opposed to the sanctuary city activities have wondered if Mayor de Blasio could be arrested for aiding and abetting for offering assistance to illegal aliens.

Illegal immigrants in New York City are being offered free and reduced admission to attractions such as the Bronx Zoo, New York City Ballet, Carnegie Hall, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art for all of 2015.

New York City is just one of many other major metropolitan areas which have massive populations of illegal immigrants and offer identification cards, according to Business Insider. The NYC illegal immigrant ID card program reportedly cost $8 million of taxpayer funds and begins on January 1, 2015. The New York City Council approved the measure in June. Republican city council members voted against creating the ID card system stating that the funds would be better spent hiring more police officers and firefighters.

“The municipal ID is a powerful tool to bring more New Yorkers out of the shadows and into the mainstream. It is now also a key that opens the door for hundreds of thousands of more New Yorkers to our city’s premier asset in culture, science, and entertainment,” Bill de Blasio noted in a recently released statement.

The illegal immigrant ID cards can be garnered by presenting a proof of residency using a utility bill, a foreign birth certificate, or a driver’s license. Mayor Bill de Blasion’s free zoo passes in exchange for signing up for the ID card statement came just a day after the politician said NYC was joining a multi-city initiative aimed at increasing citizenship by offering legal assistance during the naturalization process. Chicago and Los Angeles are also a part of the new same citizenship enhancement group.

The Big Apple is home to about 500,000 illegal immigrants, according to the New York Post. The discount and freebies enticement is reportedly worth at least $2,100 each.

“This card is going to be something that people from many walks of life are going to be taking advantage of. It’s crucially important, to treat out fellow New Yorkers who happen to be undocumented with great respect and inclusion,” Mayor de Blasio added.

What do you think about New York City offering free zoo passes and identification cards to illegal immigrants?

[Image via: A Katz/Shutterstock.com]