Proof of what a national ID service is good for.

[Ronin]

If they didn't see me as a potential criminal, why would they need my fingerprints?

It's called an Identity Card because it has the necessary data to Identify someone.......without that it would be rather pointless no? then you are just back to point zero in the discussion.
a fingerprint is good for this as it can´t be easily changed or altered on the actual person, contrary to just a photo were simple aging, changing hair/beard etc can happen quickly.
We're talking about a photograph and the fingerprint of your right index finger here....it's not like I got took down to police booking to get mine done :P

I like that even less for the way that it defines Us vs Them along nationalistic lines.

that's pretty lofty but those divides exist whether you like them or not......even in just practical if not ideological or nationalistic terms (i.e. who you pay taxes to and get services back from..etc)....pretending they don´t exist isn´t really an option.