Thread: NC:Plan to accept Mexican ID draws fire

Plan to accept Mexican ID draws fire
Updated at 09:17 AM today

DURHAM, NC (WTVD) -- Durham's city council is getting an earful over a controversial plan to allow Mexican immigrants to use a special Mexican ID card for Mexican citizens living outside Mexico.

If approved, Durham would be the first city in the country to accept the Matricula Consular. It's an identification card issued by the Government of Mexico through its consulate offices to Mexican citizens residing outside of Mexico regardless of their emigration status.

The card is accepted as ID by many police departments nationwide, and many banks accept it for financial transactions.

According to an opinion from the Durham City Attorney, "the official purpose of the card is to demonstrate that the holder is a Mexican citizen living outside of Mexico. It includes an official Government of Mexico issued ID number and bears a photograph and address of the Mexican National to whom it is issued."

If Durham approves the resolution, city officials would accept it as a legal form of ID for business conducted with the city. Police officers would also accept it for identification purposes.

Click here to read the resolution (.pdf) http://dig.abclocal.go.com/wtvd/docs/du ... 111010.pdf

But some see the plan as an endorsement of undocumented workers, while others say it will save time and taxpayer money.

Mexican advocacy groups like El Centro Hispano in Durham are pushing for the idea. But since word of the plan went public, city council members have found their mailboxes stuffed with messages from people who hate the proposal.

In some of the e-mails obtained by ABC11, one person accuses Durham leaders of pandering to criminals, another fears the card will be used by terrorists, while another man writes it's a slap in the face to bona fide citizens.

Ronald Garcia with El Centro Hispano says he thinks people are confused about what the plan really means.

"I think there's a lot of misunderstandings out there, and I think economics plays a role in that now," he offered.

Garcia says the high security card cannot be used to vote, access government benefits, or replace a valid driver's license. But in the case of someone pulled over without proper ID, the card could help them avoid a lengthy legal process.

"Detaining and processing and then deporting people who haven't really committed a crime," he explained. "Maybe they don't have all their papers in order, but that's really a part of our broken immigration system."

But critics of the plan aren't so sure.

"It really doesn't tell you anything about the legal or illegal status of the person being in the United States," offered Mitch Kokai with the John Locke Foundation.

Kokai says he fears the ID card has been oversold as a valid form of identification.

"I think when Durham is considering having this as the type of card you can present that they're probably buying into the argument that this is more valuable than it actually is," he said.

And, that's just one problem, according to critics. They also say the card could be a roundabout way for undocumented workers to vote.

"That could be the path that leads from this card to the official document - to being able to vote - and I think for voter integrity that's a concern a lot of folks should have," said Kokai.

City council members have less than a week to consider feedback from both sides of the debate. They'll vote on the controversial issue November 15.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?secti ... id=7778771

I am sick and tired of "Misunderstanding" the illegal cause.

The Mexican Matricular Card is a form of ID, but it can't be used as a means of ID for conducting business illegally, which appears to be the goal and purpose of El Centro Hispanic.

I have no problem with them using their card to prove who they are, it just can't be used to open a bank account, get a job or driver's license or tap into any public benefit or service, or serve as permission to be in the US, because it authorizes none of those. It just tells businesses who not to deal with unless they have accompanying immigration papers and who to deport when they don't and what country to pack them off to.

Pls email the Durham City Council and their attorney. Ask them to oppose this.

attorney@durhamcountync.gov, Brown@durhamnc.gov, Bill.Bell@durhamnc.gov, Farad.Ali@durhamnc.gov, Howard.Clement@durhamnc.gov, Mike.Woodard@durhamnc.gov

Originally Posted by magyart

Pls email the Durham City Council and their attorney. Ask them to oppose this.

attorney@durhamcountync.gov, Eugene.Brown@durhamnc.gov, Bill.Bell@durhamnc.gov, Farad.Ali@durhamnc.gov, Howard.Clement@durhamnc.gov, Mike.Woodard@durhamnc.gov

correct for Brown ~ Eugene.Brown@durhamnc.gov (not Brown@durhamnc.gov)

"It really doesn't tell you anything about the legal or illegal status of the person being in the United States," offered Mitch Kokai with the John Locke Foundation.

Actually it does. A person here legally has no need for the card, since they can produce a green card, passport or visa.

North Carolina town now plans to accept Mexican IDs
November 11th, 2010 9:49 pm ET
By Dave Gibson, Immigration Reform Examiner


..If the Durham, North Carolina city council follows through with their plan to accept the controversial Mexican Matricula Consular cards as a legal form of identification.

The government of Mexico through its consulates, distributes the cards throughout the United States, mostly to those living in the country illegally.

The Durham City Attorney issued the following statement on the matter: "The official purpose of the card is to demonstrate that the holder is a Mexican citizen living outside of Mexico. It includes an official Government of Mexico issued ID number and bears a photograph and address of the Mexican National to whom it is issued."

Since the announcement, the city council has received dozens of complaints from citizens, many worried that the cards will lead to illegal aliens voting in elections.

Mitch Kokai with the John Locke Foundation told WTDV: “It really doesn't tell you anything about the legal or illegal status of the person being in the United States.â€

duplicate post

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-217918.html

Sanctuary City May Recognize Mexican IDs

Last Updated: Fri, 11/12/2010 - 12:23pm


As local governments across the U.S. find ways to battle illegal immigration, a North Carolina city is working to help undocumented aliens by becoming the nation’s first to accept an easily forged Mexican card as a legal form of identification.

The controversial “Matricula Consularâ€

Last year on our news the Police were searching for a robbery suspect named Merry Christmas! Needless to say the Police and the media felt pretty stupid after announcing it. What are illegals going to do when they can only pick 3 names instead 6 or 7 names. Nat. Geo. just had a special on "Great Migrations" they forgot to add the "Job stealing illegal Migration" Sorry all you Americans in NC you sure the hell don't deserve this especially now.