http://www.atlantalatino.com/detail.php?id=4045

ydelong@atlantalatino.com

05/26/2005

A resolution has created a new Fulton County ordinance authorizing acceptance of the Mexican Matricula Consular as a valid form of identification in the city of East Point starting on May 16.

The ordinance was created to allow the city to recognize the Matricula Consular as an official document issued by the Mexican government as a valid and adequate form of photo identification for any transaction or process requiring a form of identification. Now, Mexican residents of East Point can identify themselves to city government agencies upon request and make utility bill payments, says Remedios Gomez Arnau, the consul general of Mexico in Atlanta.

Patsy Jo Hilliard, the mayor of East Point, announced the resolution at a ceremony on May 23, with Gomez Arnau in attendance.
“Be it further resolved, that the governing authority of the city of East Point will accept the Matricula Consular in all transactions requiring a form of identification,� begins the resolution.
The last paragraph of the resolution acknowledged the Matricula Consular as a valid form of identification for foreign nationals in the United States, allowing them to use it to identify themselves to any government agency of the city of East Point.

Lance Rhodes of the East Point City Council said that acceptance of this document as a valid form of ID is an important step towards increasing the safety of the community and invited the other consulates to adopt similar measures.

“This is actually being done by all of the Mexican consulates, so if other consulates will do exactly the same thing of providing the IDs and people actually have go to the consulates, and they follow the same safeguards that the Mexican consulate has put in place, I will certainly sponsor moving it forward,� said Rhodes.

“Of course it will be up to the city council to vote on it, but I don’t see any reason why they would not approved it if they can do the same thing that the Mexican consulate has done, because the US government has recognized that they follow the proper security and safety measures that need to be followed. I don’t see any reason why we won’t move forward on any consulate that wants to be recognized.�

The Matricula Consular is not intended to serve as a driver’s license, work permit, or proof of legal immigration status, but is meant to serve only as a photo ID. It is hoped that those who carry the Matricula Consular will present it as a valid form of ID when carrying out transactions such as opening bank accounts and signing rental agreements.