Allied Arguments or Subtle Exclusion?: Illegalizing Frames in Arguments Supporting a County ID

Abstract

This paper examines the initiative to develop a county ID in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. The proposal culminated with a launch in April 2018 after a year of organizing and maneuvering local government bureaucracies. The process to pass the policy consisted of community deputations across multiple County Commission meetings, the development of a task force and a report describing the barriers experienced by people without government-issued IDs, and organizing residents and local politicians to support the motion. During Commission meetings, a debate ensued between opponents to the proposal who mobilized xenophobic arguments and proponents who described the ID as a method of fostering community.