Thread: Banking, safety concerns aired at meeting

Thanks to Scubayons for finding the article.

www.tiftongazette.com


Banking, safety concerns aired at meeting

Author: Angie Thompson
Publication Date: 2005-10-11

A representative of the Mexican Consulate asked local authorities to recognize the “Matricula Consular� card as the official identification undocumented Hispanics could present to law enforcement to report crimes; to provide more Spanish-speaking or bilingual speaking dispatchers at E-911 and to provide training to teach Hispanic communities how to organize neighborhood watches and learn what law enforcement agencies do here.

One Hispanic man in the audience, speaking through an interpreter, told Tifton Police Chief Jim Smith how he had called E-911 for assistance and a law enforcement officer didn’t respond until 25 minutes after he made the call. Smith said that E-911 currently employed several Hispanic employees and several more who could speak a limited amount of Spanish and that he had discussed with E-911 Director Mary Ann Eaton dispatching officers immediately after a call is made rather than waiting until the entire dialogue concerning the emergency was completely understood.

Ramon Perez was beaten and shot in the head during one of the home-invasion robberies and his wife was beaten and sexually assaulted. The woman said Sunday that her husband would never be the same and asked what type of help she could receive. She was referred to the Colquitt County District Attorney’s Victims’ Assistance office for assistance.

“I’m desperate,� she said. “My husband will recover, but he will never be the same.�

A representative from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said that the U.S. Patriot Act allows banks to accept “Matricula Consular� cards as a valid form of identification from a customer who is opening a bank account.

“It’s up to the bank as to whether or not they accept it,� said Tom Stokes.

Stokes said the act also allows banks to accept the tax identification number issued by the Internal Revenue Service as one of the two forms of identification required to open a checking account.

“The two forms of identification may include but are not limited to a Social Security number,� Stokes said.

Letters from employers and utility bills are another two forms of identification, along with a photo identification, that banks may use.

According to information furnished by the Mexican Consulate, the “Matricula Consular� identification cards have been issued by the Mexican Consulate for 130 years. But since 2002, they contain new security features that make it a more reliable document to be used as proof of identification. The card, the consulate states, is the proof that a Mexican national who is living abroad has been registered by the consulate.

The consulate issues the cards to any Mexican national who applies for it in person, fills out an application, submits a certified birth certificate, presents an official picture identification issued by any Mexican or U.S. authority and shows proof of residence in the Consular district by presenting a telephone, rent or utility bill.

A representative from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said that the U.S. Patriot Act allows banks to accept “Matricula Consular� cards as a valid form of identification from a customer who is opening a bank account.

And this legislation was passed to protect Americans while enabling economic terrorists?

Both of these forms of ID clearly have been lobbied into acceptance by businesses that use tax money to pay about one-third of their labor costs. It's a fact that more than one-third of everyone's salary goes to income tax, property tax, medical insurance, auto insurance and social security. It's also a fact that illegal aliens pay no income tax, no medical insurance, about a tenth of the average property tax and usually no auto insurance. Guess who pays that end of their salariies. That's correct, the taxpayer. A vast majority of illegal aliens use the IRS number to collect earned income tax credit and any refund which they usually evade. I've been banking with the same bank for 26 years and last month told them if they continued to accept matricula consular cards to open accounts I would consider it aiding and abetting in felonies. Furthermore, if they continued, all my accounts would be withdrawn and deposited in another institution. I'm looking for a new bank this week.