Thread: Mexican immigrants get photo IDs. Gastonia, North Carolina

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/ ... 26&SecID=7

VIDEO:
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Immigrants stand in line to meet with members of the Mexican Consulate.


A Mexican immigrant hands over his paperwork before having his picture taken for a photo ID.

www.news14.com

Mexican immigrants obtain photo IDs
Updated: 2/25/2006 5:47:03 PM
By: Lisa Reyes, News 14 Carolina

GASTONIA, N.C. – Nancy Capistran said she noticed a big problem, especially among the growing Hispanic community, in just eight months as a Gastonia police officer.

“We’re encountering a lot of people who do not have any type of identification,” Capistran said.

Jose Luis Esteban was one of them. He’s been in the country for six years and he said he needed a photo ID. He said without a photo ID you can’t set up a checking account or buy a house.

Police also said photo IDs could help immigrants open bank accounts, eliminating them as targets for robberies and home invasions.


Immigrants stand in line to meet with members of the Mexican Consulate.
Capistran wanted to help people like Esteban so she contacted the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh and asked representatives to come to the city to validate documents, such as passports and birth certificates, and issues photo IDs.

This weekend Esteban finally got the help he needed. On Saturday hundreds of Mexican immigrants packed the Phillips Center in Gastonia when members of the Mexican Consulate made the trip to certify documents and help Mexican nationals obtain proper identification.

The passports allow immigrants to travel back and forth to Mexico or set up dual citizenship, and some parents who have given birth in the states may want their children to have Mexican birth certificates. As for the photo IDs – they are just a way of life in this country.


A Mexican immigrant hands over his paperwork before having his picture taken for a photo ID.
“If something was to happen to them, at least we know who they are, where they belong, who we need to contact,” Capistran said.

All these documents are backed by the Mexican government and the process is lengthy. Computers run background checks before issuing IDs, and if everything checks out the government will issue the IDs regardless of resident status.

“Some people erroneously think that if we issue these types of documents we are legalizing or regularizing the migratory status of our people here in the U.S., and that’s unfortunately not true,” said Mexican Consul Armando Ortiz-Rocha.

But the IDs cannot be used to obtain drivers’ licenses. A recipient can, however, use the ID to verify who he or she is to begin the process of becoming a U.S. citizen.

Members of the consulate already travel one weekend a month throughout both North and South Carolina. They anticipated issuing 600 IDs at Saturday’s event.

Web Journalist: Lindsay Varner

Capistran is guide by a soft heart not what is between her ears. She should have learned in BLET what the word illegal means.

Another perfect opporunity ICE blew.

Your not supposed to have a checking account or buy a house!

This is completely insane. Cops talking about helping illegal aliens to get checking accounts and houses!?!?!?!?!

W

Haven't you heard, the LAW only applies to law-abiding American citizens. Everyone else, including our elected representatives, can do as they please.

REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER!