ID clinic offers lifeline to Albuquerque homeless

Louisa Baca has lived on the streets of Albuquerque for five years, waiting for the moment she could obtain a driver’s license in the hopes of restarting her life. 

On Tuesday, Baca finally got that chance.

“If you want to get up and out of the streets, you better get an ID because that’s a big part of you getting out of these streets,” Baca said as she stood in line to receive a temporary license from the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division.

Albuquerque Community Safety hosted a Connect to Care event Tuesday morning in the International District to provide multiple resources for the city’s homeless population. The event held at Francis House included on-site state identification services, free breakfast and transitional housing for veterans. 

The free, twice-monthly pop-up event brings essential services directly to unhoused people with the goal of providing an easier path toward stability, according to a news release from ACS spokesperson Jorge Hernandez.

Other resources at the event included the University of New Mexico Mobile Medical Team and the Veterans Integration Center, which was able to help five homeless veterans acquire transitional housing. 

But for Baca and nearly 50 other homeless people, the ability to get a free identification card brought much more opportunity. It gave Baca hope that she would be able to apply for an apartment. She said the loss of her ID — which she said was stolen while living on the streets — made it difficult for her to do basic things in life.

Though the city and state offer various resources without an ID, it can be nearly impossible to receive housing, health care or employment without it.

“It’s really about accessibility,” said Htet Wint, director of MVD. “It's about getting standard services, health, housing and mental health benefits as well, so we know that ID is the first step to finding stability.”

While some homeless people said their IDs were stolen, 45-year-old Jose Baca said his was thrown away by the Solid Waste Management Department in late January, something many homeless people in Albuquerque said has been happening since at least 2023.

But Jose Baca said he was happy to have the chance to get a new ID and said it would allow him to apply for various resources that could help him. For Louisa Baca, her new ID will help her get into a home, something she hopes will come sometime in April.

“I hope my kids see this,” Louisa Baca said with a wide smile as she tightly gripped her paper identification card. “If you’re out here and you get an ID, glue it to your butt or somewhere else — but don’t lose it.” 

Permanent ID cards will be sent to local organizations for people to pick them up at a later date, Wint said.

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.