New York City might protect undocumented immigrants from Trump by destroying a database with their names

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

A database containing personal information of thousands of undocumented immigrants living in New York City could be destroyed in order to keep it from the hands of Donald Trump and his administration, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.

The data was collected originally for New York's IDNYC cards, which serve as free and official proof of identification but can be received without a legal immigration status, CNN reports. The resulting database contains the names of cardholders as well as their addresses and dates of birth, although applicants aren't required to disclose their immigration status to get a card.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.