Long lines for IDs from consulate

(http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article)

April 20, 2007

news-sun staff report

Hundreds waited in line for Mexican consular identification cards and passports while the Mexican Consulate in Chicago provided mobile consular services at the Belvidere Mall in Waukegan on Wednesday and Thursday.

Some immigrants stood in line outside the mall overnight. The bumper crowd is due to changes in the identification required to fly. Since January, Mexican air passengers are required to show a Mexican passport to enter Mexico. For now, other identification can be used for Mexican nationals returning to Mexico by land.

The mobile consulate expected to give out about 400 Mexican passports and 800 consular identification cards during its four day stay in Waukegan ending this Saturday.

College student Brenda Garcia drove down from Racine, Wis., to stand in line outside the mall since 2 a.m. She didn't leave with her new Mexican passport until 5 p.m. However, she wasn't complaining because it saved her a trip to the consulate in Chicago.

"We're happy because we got our documents in one day," Garcia said.

Others in line complained of slow service. The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement held a small protest in the mall.

"We spoke to the Mexican consul and he's going to try to get better service in there," said Jose Guzman of LCLAA.

The consular cards can be obtained with a birth certificate proving Mexican citizenship and proof of residency in the United States. They can be used as identification to open bank accounts.

Sponsored by the YWCA and First Midwest Bank, the mobile consulate will be at the Belvidere Mall from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It will return to Waukegan Sept. 6 through 9.