[throwaway562if1]

Because without thoroughly-enshrined protections for identities, an e-ID system provides an avenue for the government to effectively de-person undesirables at will, by removing their ability to use banks, sign contracts, access healthcare, etc.

[alkonaut]

Isn't that what permit of residency and citizenship already is? Without legal residency or citizenship all those things become hard/impossible/illegal. It's not personhood, it's citizenship (or a permit of residency). It's the job of governments everywhere?

[Muromec]

US government is deporting undesirables at will right now without any of that. On the other side of the world, where id is mandatory and e-id is used for everything that makes sense, the city hall gives free heroin injections to addicts as a last resort therapy and provides for illegal/undocumented homeless people so they don't shit on the street.

Neither of those prevents somebody from stealing bicycles zo.