While the Flint water crisis has disproportionately affected Michigan’s poorest population, reports that Flint’s undocumented immigrants are too scared to seek clean water are compounding the disaster.
According to widespread reports, residents have been asked to provide valid state identification in order to receive free water bottles, filters, replacement cartridges and testing kits at distribution centers set up across the city.
Michigan state officials released a statement late Friday saying that Flint residents are not being required to show identification in order to receive free water, despite the reports. Michigan State Police spokesman Lt. David Kaiser said identification “is not required, it’s just requested” as part of the “long-term recovery effort” to track where the water supplies are going.
