Если иностранца ловят без паспорта, то теоретически это считается misdemeanor crime. Так что носить его с собой всегда полезно.

откуда такие дикости?

Ну зачем же бредом сразу обзывать, уж наверное я не сам это придумал.

http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/renew.htm

Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that, "Every alien in the United States shall be issued a certificate of alien registration or an alien registration receipt card in such form and manner and at such time as shall be prescribed under regulations." It also states, "Every alien, eighteen years of age and over, shall at all times carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card issued to him. Any alien who fails to comply with [these] provisions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." The specific requirements and procedures for applying to renew an expiring permanent resident card are set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] at 8 CFR § 264.5.

хотя описано именно про Green Card holders, а не про иностранцев вообще, но все равно страшная дикость и бред со стороны долбанутых на всю голову чиновников USCIS.
Простите меня пожалуйста если я Вас обидел своей грубостью.

Не думаю, что его можно так легко обидеть =)

Таки да =)

Да, кстати, если захотят придраться, то и MassID не поможет.

this does not apply to all foreigners, just alien green card holders and if they carry a driver's licence, they should be just dandy.

Почему это не применимо ко всем? В законе однозначно написано, что все иностранцы должны носить I-94 (прикрепляют к паспорту на границе) или пластиковую карточку. Вы же вроде юрист.
SEC. 101. [8 U.S.C. 1101] (a) As used in this Act-
(3) The term "alien" means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.
(15) The term "immigrant" means every alien except an alien who is within one of the following classes of nonimmigrant aliens

И ещё более конкретно:
SEC. 102. [8 U.S.C. 1102] Except as otherwise provided in this Act, for so long as they continue in the nonimmigrant classes enumerated in this section, the provisions of this Act relating to ineligibility to receive visas and the removal of aliens shall not be construed to apply to nonimmigrants-

(1) within the class described in paragraph (15)(A)(i) of section 101(a), except those provisions relating to reasonable requirements of passports and visas as a means of identification and documentation necessary to establish their qualifications under such paragraph (15)(A)(i), and, under such rules and regulations as the President may deem to be necessary, the provisions of subparagraphs (A) through (C) of section 212(a)(3);

yes, sure, the alients should possess the green card but they don't have to carry it on their person. they can always say thei lost it - in fact, INS site has provisions providing for loss of an alien card and visa entry/departure forms, etc.

Believe me, i have practiced immigration law and never came across a case in which an alien went to jail for not having an id.

Of course, if an alien is found breaking the law (i.e. drinking beer) the authorities can do whatever the heck they please and good luck applying for citizenship afterwards.

Koroche, NAROD - esli kto iz vas hochet podavat na grazhdanstvo v USA , to uzh zakonu nado sobludat' i voodsche poostorozhnej sebya vesti.

Сказать что потерял грин-карту, если на самом деле не терял это вы официально как юрист советуете? :)
И причём тут "went to jail"? :) Misdemeanor это административное правонарушение по-русски будет, за такое штраф полагается, там вроде даже где то написано было сколько конкретно, 200 баксов что-ли... Плюс запись в криминал рекорд пойдёт, конечно, что потом при получении гражданства может аукнуться.

net, ya kak yurist zdes' nichego oficial'no ne pishu - i proshu ne prinimat' kak ur. sovet! :)

a naschet going to jail - eto potomy chto vy tak ser'ezno vse raspisali chto u lydej moglo sozdatsya vpechatlenie chto bez green karty ili pasporta hodit po ulitce nel'zya. a vprochem, esli s pivom, bez ID da esche i sporit' s "authorieties" to vpolne i jail mozhet ozhidat'.

v obschem, obey the law in public :)

da eshe i otkliknetsya.

man,
u sure have a lot of time on ur hands. i have no time to argue right now but do u want a law clerking job? :>

on a different note - 15 min ago a passport agent delivered to me my new US passport and returned my old one , 2with a big stamp of the front page "CANCELED". They changed the lamination on the front page so now it's more difficult to fake one.