Illegal Aliens Encouraged to Use Voter Registration Cards as ID?
Date: Thursday, November 18 @ 13:44:16 EST
Topic: Illegal Immigration News in the US
Mexican nationals get chance for IDs, passport service
Mobile consulate open Saturday
By Jim Gaines, jgaines@bgdailynews.com -- 270-783-3242 The Bowling Green Daily News
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Mexican nationals living in the Bowling Green area will be able Saturday to apply for identification cards from their government, and apply for or renew passports.
The Consulate of Mexico in Indianapolis, collaborating with the International Center of Bowling Green, will operate a mobile consulate Saturday at The Presbyterian Church, 1003 State St., beginning at 8 a.m.
About 150 passports will be available, and about 550 consular identification cards, or matricula consulars, according to a joint press release from the International Center and Mexican consulate.
"We are anticipating something in the neighborhood of 700 people," said Matthew Covington, pastor of The Presbyterian Church.
"We were approached some months ago by the International Center," he said. "Marty Deputy is a member of this church, so we do have a close relationship with that organization."
Deputy, director of the International Center, suggested that the church allow one day for Mexicans to seek official documents that will help them open bank accounts, qualify for loans or become renters, Covington said.
"This is a good thing, obviously, because it allows people who have come here perhaps for seasonal jobs to have a more comfortable life and, really, a more normal existence," he said.
The Mexican government issues matricula consulars to its nationals living in other countries. When Mexico began pressing to have matricula consulars widely accepted in the United States, it drew strong protests, mostly from conservative groups.
Those groups argued that providing the ID cards would encourage illegal immigration, and legitimize illegal aliens already here. The lax standards for their issuance â€" compared to the requirements for getting legal immigration documents â€" could encourage terrorists to use them as a means of moving in U.S. society, some said.
The most common use for the matricula consular in the United States is to open a bank account. Hundreds of American banks accept it as identification.
Thirteen states â€" but not Kentucky â€" accept it as valid ID.
Mexican citizens need registration tickets to apply for documents. For tickets, call the International Center at 781-8336. Leave the family name, address, city, state, ZIP code, number of passports and/or number of matricula consulars requested. The tickets will be mailed.
Applying for a matricula consular costs $26. One of the following is needed to apply:
•Military service card or pre-entrance military service card, active or expired.
•A Mexican passport, active or expired.
•Declaration of Mexican citizenship.
People without those documents can still get consular ID with an original birth certificate and one of the following:
•Voter registration card.
•U.S. drivers license.
•U.S. residency card.
•Certificate of completion of educational studies, with photograph and official seal, from elementary, middle or high school, or college.
Applicants must show proof of residency with a document bearing the applicant's name, such as a rent receipt, utility bill, insurance form or pay stub, or general mail showing address and name, or original money transfer to Mexico.
For a passport, people need to fill out an application, provide a birth certificate and an official ID with a photograph. Two photos will be needed for a passport, without glasses and on a white background.
Original birth certificates won't be returned; they'll be sent to Mexico for archiving.
Married women who want to place their married names on passports need the same documents, plus an original marriage certificate.
Minors seeking passports must have the same documentation, and preferably will have both parents there. Both parents also need to provide official ID.
For renewing passports, applicants need their previous passports. Minors need an original birth certificate plus official ID for both parents.
Read original story here.
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