Clerk Valencia works to meet the needs of all Chicagoans as Title 42 is lifted

CHICAGO – With Title 42 sunsetting today as the federal government proclaims the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Office of the City Clerk and other City departments prepare for the potential high numbers of new arrivals. City Clerk Anna Valencia is committed to continuing to provide support while making sure her office is serving all Chicagoans.

The Title 42 clause in the federal 1944 Public Health Services Law allows the United States to turn away people seeking asylum as a protective measure to prevent communicative diseases.

“Since last summer, my Office has worked with departments and organizations throughout the city and state to help our city as we’ve stretched resources to meet the needs of all Chicagoans and provide support for new arrivals,” Valencia said.

As more new arrivals come to Chicago, the City Clerk’s CityKey program, Chicago’s municipal identification, has seen an increased demand. CityKey is a four-in-one identification for all Chicagoans that affords cardholders the dignity of a government-issued identification card, a Chicago transit card, library card and a prescription discount card. The CityKey also gets cardholders discounts at businesses throughout Chicago

“We’ve done our best to make sure current and new Chicagoans are receiving their CityKey, but the truth is, our Office, like many other programs and departments, simply doesn’t have the resources to meet the demand we’ve seen in recent months,” Valencia said. “My hope is that by continuing to work with all levels of government, we’ll be able to create some more viable solutions, and that additional federal and private funding will be able to support Chicago.” 

###