Note: This story has been updated since it was originally posted.

Dallas city officials announced Tuesday that they will consider providing municipal IDs to all Dallas residents regardless of immigration status.

The announcement coincided with the creation of the city's new Office of Immigrant Affairs and the "Cities' Day of Immigration Action," an event organized by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Municipal IDs help immigrants who might not have access to other types of identification to cash checks, seek employment, obtain library cards and have access to other municipal services.

Mayor Pro Tem Monica Alonzo proposed looking into the IDs.

The IDs would offer many a way to open bank accounts as well as identify themselves to police, said Liz Cedillo-Pereira, who leads the city’s new Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs.

“We are going to review the different municipal identifications offered [across the country] and study how they work,” Cedillo-Pereira said.

At this preliminary stage, it is not clear what, if any, specific requirement an applicant must meet to receive an ID.

Identification programs for unauthorized immigrants were first introduced in New Haven, Conn., in July 2007, and are now available in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

Such IDs have traditionally drawn opposition from critics who have warned that they will enable illegal voting or identity theft, and could create security gaps if the cards too closely resemble driver's licenses. Others have said the cards are contributing to illegal immigration.

Mayor Mike Rawlings did not talk about municipal IDs during a news conference, but said the city must be welcoming to immigrants, especially in the current political climate. Rawlings has been lauded and criticized for bringing flowers to refugees the weekend after President Donald Trump issued his immigration ban on anyone traveling from certain countries.

“Our city must be open, but it also must be vigilant,” Rawlings said, noting that a quarter of Dallas’ population was born abroad. “We understand that anxiety is high."

The mayor said last year at the end of a trade mission trip to Mexico City that he realized the city needed to do more to formally involve its Mexican immigrants, who don't trust traditional financial institutions, in the local economy. The mayor's poverty task force had also recommended the new office for immigrants because many of them were mired in poverty but were not seeking city services.

Rawlings said he was confident that Cedillo-Pereira could lead the program and the new immigrant affairs office, citing her familiarity with federal agencies. She was previously an adviser with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, under former director Sarah Saldaña.

But the municipal ID idea that Alonzo asked Cedillo-Pereira to explore will likely be met with more resistance. With the state Legislature and national politicians criticizing sanctuary cities, the debate over a Dallas municipal ID could become contentious. Alonzo said she expects the label of "sanctuary cities" will come up, but was unfazed.

“There is a plus and a minus to everything,” Alonzo said. “We welcome the opportunity to be able to explain. We want to be inclusive, and we want to be accessible to the communities and make them feel welcome all the time.”

1 / 2Liz Cedillo-Pereira (Ben Torres/Special Contributor)(Special Contributor) 2 / 2Mary Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira, Director of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs for the City of Dallas, during an interview with members of the English and Spanish speaking press at City Hall in Downtown Dallas, Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Tuesday marked the U.S. Conference of Mayors CitiesÃ Day of Immigration Action. Ben Torres/Special Contributor(Special Contributor)

Cedillo-Pereira, who started her new post Monday, said she will research the idea. But hher first goal is to connect with immigrant centers, business owners, educational entities and others to learn about the needs of Dallas’ immigrant community.

She said she also wants to expand available resources and connect immigrants to outreach events and educational opportunities.

As an example, she cited ICE’S EB-5 immigrant investor program. It allows entrepreneurs and their families to apply for permanent resident cards if they “make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States or plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers.”

Cedillo-Pereira, who reiterated that her office is a “work in progress” and that she is the only employee, said she aims to work with everyone.

She hopes to have a toll-free number available for anyone who has questions or wishes to express their concerns. She is inviting the community to provide ideas for programs that could be offered through her office via email at liz.cedillopereira@dallascityhall.com.

Staff writers Tristan Hallman and Claire Z. Cardona contributed to this report.

Correction: This story has been corrected since it was originally posted online March 21. The story inaccurately described the genesis of a plan to issue municipal identification cards to all Dallas residents, including unauthorized immigrants. The idea came from Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Alonzo, who is exploring the initiative with Liz Cedillo, director of the city's new immigrant affairs office. The story incorrectly attributed the plan to Mayor Mike Rawlings, who is supportive of the immigration office but did not specifically endorse the municipal identification plan.