where do I keep the green card

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

For the sake of the original question--my husband keeps his greencard in his wallet because that's what the thing it came with said to do.

So does my husband.

Except when he's home in Europe!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Immigration is a Federal matter, meaning State police is not authorized to inquire about immigration status and even less to ask for a Green Card. That would have been different in Arizona had SB-1070 passed without the Feds' intervention, but since they objected, this is still true for all 50 States of the Union.

I knew a feisty girl who once was asked by a cop if she has a Green Card and she responded: "None of your f*cking business." Cop put his tail between his legs because he knew he had NO RIGHT to even ask.

So what are situations within the US where you can be legally required to show your Green Card?

1) You are applying for a job and have to show proof that you are authorized to work in the US.

2) You have been arrested by police and they suspect you are an illegal alien. In that case they can call ICE and those guys have the right to check you out.

3) You are passing a CBP checkpoint near some US-Mexico or US-Canada border where CBP officers stop you and inquire.

Hence, these are the situations where it makes sense to "carry": applying for a new job; committing a crime, traveling close to the US border.

Here's another place we part ways.

My husband NEVER takes his green card to job interviews. It's against the law for an employer to MAKE you show it to them.

If a person has an unrestricted SS card and a state driver's license, that's enough documentation per the I9 to satisfy identify and work authorization.

My husband and I do not want employers to view his card. Because the card has an expiry date on it, it gives the illusion of legal presence only through the date on that card.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

My husband NEVER takes his green card to job interviews. It's against the law for an employer to MAKE you show it to them.

If a person has an unrestricted SS card and a state driver's license, that's enough documentation per the I9 to satisfy identify and work authorization.

My husband and I do not want employers to view his card. Because the card has an expiry date on it, it gives the illusion of legal presence only through the date on that card.

Excellent point!

That leaves only 2 scenarios where it makes sense for a reasonable person to "carry," and if we can agree that a reasonable person doesn't go out intending to commit a crime, we're left with the close proximity to the US border.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Excellent point!

That leaves only 2 scenarios where it makes sense for a reasonable person to "carry," and if we can agree that a reasonable person doesn't go out intending to commit a crime, we're left with the close proximity to the US border.

We live nowhere near a US border and he still carries his card. All the time. He's not a US citizen. It's the law that he carry his card. It's that simple for us.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Georgia is now part of the Safe Communities program - that means different County police officers can ask you to prove your immigration status if you are stopped by them for any reason - and if you can't prove your immigration status and they suspect you are an immigrant, you will be detained.

I always carried my green card with me as well. I have identification in my wallet and I have separate identification at home as well as a photocopy of all of my wallet contents - in case my purse or my wallet goes missing. As a citizen I obtained a Passport Card that I can carry with me to prove my citizenship if challenged. I never have been, and as a blue eyed blonde middle aged white woman with a Canadian accent, I probably never will be (yeah, profiling exists) - but that didn't exempt me from following the law of carrying the proof of my legal immigration status with me while I was still a Permanent Resident. As a citizen, I am no longer required to prove my legal status in the US - but I still can.

I also agree that the requirement of having to carry the exact card rather than a good facsimile is somewhat ridiculous since US citizens are not required to carry any identification to prove they are citizens. Carrying a good copy and if stopped, then being required to produce the original within a specified period of time (eg 2 days at your local police station) with a ticket issued that would be cancelled when the documentation was produced would be more reasonable in many ways.

I like the suggestion that replacement costs for a stolen green card should be minimal. Applications submitted with police reports proving theft should be replaced at a much more reasonable cost - like the passport card would only cost $40 or $45 to replace. Applications submitted without police reports would pay the full price.

Edited December 27, 2010 by Kathryn41

[baron555 934]

We don't carry our around. She does take her DL with her because that is all the ID anyone would want to see; its all I carry.