Thread: Arkansas: IDs for aliens draw fire

IDs for aliens draw fire
BY JOHN KRUPA
Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/210936/

Many Arkansas police departments, banks and businesses are accepting the membership card of a nonprofit organization that works with Hispanic immigrants as a form of valid identification.

Founders of the organization say the card is helping 3, 000 Arkansas immigrants gain access to important services.

Critics, however, say illegal aliens are the only immigrants benefiting from the card. They are buying the card in droves, some say, not knowing that it carries no more legal standing than a membership card at their local video store.

Officials with the Arkansas attorney general’s office are investigating the Latin Community Organization of Malvern, the nonprofit that issues the cards.

“Some [illegal aliens ] think it’s an official, governmentsponsored card,â€

[quote]Even if illegal aliens use the cards to gain access to services, Ballard said he doesn’t see a problem with that.

“Many are victims of predatory business practices of payday loan people, unscrupulous landlords and loan sharks,â€