Latin American Nations to Offer ID Cards

Yahoo AP ^ | 03/13/03 | DEBORAH KONG

[Moonman62]

By DEBORAH KONG, AP Minority Issues Writer

Several Central and South American countries are poised to follow Mexico's lead and offer identification cards to their citizens living in the United States, just as the Mexican IDs are coming under fire in this country.

Guatemala introduced its own ID card last year, and Peru plans to do so in the next few months. Honduras and El Salvador (news - web sites) are considering the idea.

"Mexico is the one who's been the pioneer on this," said Ivonne Sanchez, consul at the Guatemalan Embassy in Washington, D.C. "We saw that the Mexican ID was accepted and we tried to do it in the same form."

But the new plans come amid rising concerns about the Mexican ID — a credit-card sized document that a substantial number of government agencies and companies are accepting when people want to do things like open bank accounts and get a driver's license.

Critics say the IDs — available at Mexican and Guatemalan consulates — are sought by illegal immigrants because they make it easier for them to remain in the United States. A bill introduced by Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., would prohibit federal agencies from recognizing identification documents unless they were issued by federal or state authorities.

"What these cards are intended to do is bring about a de facto illegal alien amnesty," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington. "This is an attempt by foreign governments to make an end run around U.S. law."

The cards identify people as citizens of a particular country, but they don't specify the person's immigration status, and consulates don't ask them for it when they apply.

Honduras would "not be giving this to legalize anybody," said David Hernandez, consul for immigration issues at the Honduran Embassy. "It is to ID our people, so, for example, we know where David Hernandez is in the United States in case of an emergency, or David Hernandez can go to a bank account, exchange a check, use it as an ID."

Last year, Mexico issued more than 1 million of its IDs in the United States. They were accepted by 74 banks, 13 states and 800 police agencies, according to the Mexican government.

Wells Fargo bank estimates it has opened about 70,000 new accounts since November 2001 using the Mexican ID. The bank also recognizes Guatemala's ID, said spokeswoman Miriam Galicia Duarte.

Other countries have "seen that this makes sense and that so many people are accepting it for very good reasons," said Michele Waslin, senior immigration policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.

Guatemala issued about 32,000 of its new IDs between mid-August — when it began offering them — and December.

"I want to have something that reminds me I am Guatemalan," said Krushenka Salazar, 26, who was applying for one recently at the Guatemalan consulate in San Francisco.

"I don't have my legal papers yet," Salazar added, so she plans to use the card to get into bars, "cash checks and open a bank account, just to have a form of ID."

In about two months, the Peruvian consulate in New York intends to begin a pilot program to issue its new ID cards, said deputy consul general Alejandro Ugarte. If successful, the program will be expanded around the world, he said.

"The main idea is our Peruvians, wherever they are, they can hold a document that can be understandable" for authorities in that country, Ugarte said, noting that the IDs will be printed in the language of the country where they are handed out.

The Honduran embassy is waiting for authorization from its foreign affairs ministry to begin issuing IDs, Hernandez said. Many people have called his nation's consulates to request them, he said.

[sarcasm]

ping

[Dr Warmoose]

Apparently the Orwellian "Know Your Customer" given to us by the Clinton Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Stasi) is only to be implemented on the alleged "free" (and registered) people while illegal aliens, terrorists and others in the underground are legislatively exempt.

I understand that there is significant growth in an alternate currency that is being recognized in Latin neighborhoods.

At this rate, learn Spanish and you can drop out of your own country without leaving home.

[Crusader21stCentury]

I like your tag line. LOL

[texastoo]

"At this rate, learn Spanish and you can drop out of your own country without leaving home."

LOL!!!

What a country! No security and no laws anymore. It looks like every 2-bit country in the world is sending their indigent with I.D. cards or passing them out when they get here. I really don't know why all this is necesary as the police don't arrest the illegals anyway.

[texastoo]

ping

[janetgreen]

Why is that JACKASS sitting in the White House so strangely silent about any of this insanity??

[texastoo]

Maybe he is waiting for Iraq consulars to issue I.D. cards to their illegals.

This is sickening to me. America is dead.

[FITZ]

I want to have something that reminds me I am Guatemalan

A deportation back to Guatemala would remind her she is a Guatemalan.

[JustPiper]

What a country! No security and no laws anymore. It looks like every 2-bit country in the world is sending their indigent with I.D. cards or passing them out when they get here. I really don't know why all this is necesary as the police don't arrest the illegals anyway.

Bump and Ping Texas!

[Klickitat]

This is expected. Other countries like China can't be far behind in issuing cards that would only be needed by illegal invaders. In fact I read that on another thread posted here on FR.
That is what is crazy about this. The ONLY people who need these types of cards are here illegally. But, if we recognize mexican illegals isn't it racism or some such drivel not to recognize illegals from the other 160+ countries in the world?

[Klickitat]

Hi JP. You know what really gets me is an important thread like this gets a paltry 10 posts or so. Here we have our own government at all levels violating the law, yet even here on FR an allegedly conservative activist site, less than 20 people care enough to post to the thread.
If you post a Kobe rape thread, or some such fluff, you'd get a couple thousand posts in a few hours. But let our laws be violated by our elected "rep's" lucky to get more than 30 posts.
Just want you to know that I personally appreciate people like you, and hijinx who take the time to find these threads and ping the lists. Just wish more people cared enough about their country to post or bump or contact their "rep's" to enforce our laws.

[4Freedom]

Freepers are gun-shy about posting to these immigration threads, because of the frequent banning in the past.

There was a time when it seemed like someone was banned on every immigration thread.

One night we lost Marine Inspector, Jackelope Breeder and Sabertooth. Somehow Saber made it back, but many, many, many are gone, permanently.

I believe that these threads receive alot of hits, but those same FReepers are hesitant to post. I receive private FReep-mail from them all the time.

A hit counter on every thread would be great, but that would probably consume too much bandwidth.

[JustPiper]

You know what really gets me is an important thread like this gets a paltry 10 posts or so

Ping! Ping! Ping! And everyone you know Kat has a good point people!

[JustPiper]

I just want to tell you I am glad you found FR Kat ;)

[Pro-Bush]

Just like the UK? ..National ID cards seem to be contagious.

[JustPiper]

National ID cards seem to be contagious

A viri with no antedote

[JustPiper]

National ID cards seem to be contagious

A viri with no antidote

[NewRomeTacitus]

No antidote? I avoid dealing with any pro-immigrant businesses where possible and spread the word to everyone I know. Told the owner of an eatery that I could no longer patronize his establishment as long as he was using illegal help. When he started to get uppity I cut him short by asking the helpers how much he was paying them. The patrons were all ears, believe me.
If we don't make a scene nothing gets fixed. If it doesn't help at least you've stood up for what's right.