Lawmakers debate Mexican ID cards

The Spokane Spokesman Review ^ | February 6, 2004 | Richard Roesler

[eeman]

OLYMPIA _ Tomas Villanueva got up at 3a.m. Thursday, made coffee, pulled on two flannel shirts, and drove his old van from the Yakima Valley to the state Capitol.

He hoped to win over state lawmakers on a matter important to him.

The lawmakers were busy. Villanueva was granted less than two minutes to make his case.

Sitting at a microphone, he asked lawmakers to allow more widespread acceptance of Mexican consular ID cards as legitimate identification.

The change wouldn't affect Mexicans' immigration status or right to work here, he said. But people need an ID, he said, to open a bank account, sign up for electrical or water service, or even get a library card.

"What better national security than knowing who we have living in our state?" the 61-year-old man asked.

He wasn't alone. On Thursday, dozens of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans crowded a House of Representatives hearing room, and urged lawmakers to pass House Bill 3029.

The bill would authorize wider acceptance of the photo ID card, known as a "matricula consular." It authorizes cities, counties, police, banks and check-cashing companies to accept the cards as a valid form of ID, except in cases when a driver's license is specifically required.

The bill also allows the state Department of Licensing to come up with different -- presumably more lenient -- rules for using the cards as a form of ID to get a driver's license or state ID card. Under the current rules, anyone showing a Mexican consular ID has to bring along at least four other forms of ID to get a driver's license.

To get the ID card, a Mexican must go to the nearest Mexican consulate, and provide a birth certificate, government-issued photo ID, and proof of address in Washington. The consulate keeps the digital photograph and signature on file.

Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, sponsored the bill. He's fielded some angry calls and e-mails over it.

"I was called a pimp, a panderer, a bozo and a whore," he said in an interview.

Much of the criticism stems from critics' worries that accepting the cards is a step toward legitimizing illegal aliens. Several lawmakers at Thursday's hearing clearly shared those concerns.

"If you have people that are lawfully in the United States, they require a passport with a picture ID to get into the United States, with a visa," said Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy. "Why in the world would we need this kind of identification?"

Nobody had a good answer for that, because nobody wanted to say the obvious: that illegal immigrants often use fake social security cards and other fake documents to get work here. Employers, needing workers, may not run background checks to ensure that the documents are legitimate. But banks or utility companies will, usually using the social security number.

That leaves many Mexicans in limbo, working -- albeit illegally -- in Washington, but unable to open a bank account, get a driver's license, or take part in other everyday transactions.

"One of the things I've always been concerned about is that we have kind of an underground society in this country," said Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside.

Fromhold and other proponents -- including the Mexican consul from Seattle -- repeatedly tried to ease lawmakers' fears.

"This is being characterized as something evil, and nothing could be further from the truth," he said.

The change wouldn't help illegal aliens become legal, Fromhold said. Nor would it help them get welfare.

"State and federal law already make undocumented immigrants ineligible for most forms of public assistance, such as welfare and Medicaid," Fromhold said. "This bill does not alter that at all."

A few banks, including Washington Mutual and U.S. Bank, have started accepting the cards as ID for some transactions, such as opening a savings account.

"In some ways, you're enabling an illegal system. That's of course the dilemma," said Greg Cunningham from Catholic Charities in Spokane. "But it does give people a sense of dignity."

"It's better to have people drive safely and obey the laws than to drive without a license," said Carlos Maldonado, a Chicano Studies faculty member at Eastern Washington University. "These people are already here. Do we just close our eyes?"

[dagnabbit]

Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, sponsored the bill. He's fielded some angry calls and e-mails over it.
"I was called a pimp, a panderer, a bozo and a whore," he said in an interview.

Well Sir, that would be owing to the fact that you are indeed a pimp, a panderer, a bozo and a whore.

[B4Ranch]

Will vote Republican, but not check any box at the top of the ballot.

Please write in Tancredo to send the message to the RNC why you did not vote for President Bush.

[CaptainK]

"It's better to have people drive safely and obey the laws than to drive without a license,"

Breaking the law when driving = bad

Breaking the law crossing the border = good

[LowOiL]

"State and federal law already make undocumented immigrants ineligible for most forms of public assistance, such as welfare and Medicaid," Fromhold said. "This bill does not alter that at all."

Why Why Why...I'll never understand why taxpayers have to foot this bill (not to mention Hospital bills)

[Travis McGee]

Bienvenidos a Aztlan.

Aprenda Espanol hoy, evite la prisa manana.

[hedgetrimmer]

The are discussing this because it goes hand in hand with the dissolution of the United States and the formation of the Western hemispheric Organization of American States.

This is the other hand the globalists played this week:
Deputy ministers from 34 nations in the Western Hemisphere ended four days of talks in Puebla, Mexico, Friday, without any agreements because of an impasse over agricultural subsidies. Their goal is to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), stretching from Alaska to Argentina, by January 2005.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1073544/posts

So you see they need that id card, it will help to make irrelevant citizenship in the United States of America.

[dennisw]

Rep. Bill Fromhold, D-Vancouver, sponsored the bill. He's fielded some angry calls and e-mails over it.

"I was called a pimp, a panderer, a bozo and a whore," he said in an interview...........

IF THE SHOE FITS WEAR IT!!

[janetgreen]

Bush decided that illegal aliens and their constituencies were more important than my vote.

Ditto from California.

[JustPiper]

"These people are already here. Do we just close our eyes?"

No, we have done too much of that! Millions of times as a matter of fact!

[lainde]

bttt

[Nea Wood]

"I was called a pimp, a panderer, a bozo and a whore," he said in an interview.

Count yourself lucky, Fromhold. I'd have called you much worse.

[FITZ]

Illegals aren't exactly living with out electricity or water so that isn't the real argument. We cannot have the corrupt Mexican government issuing ID cards or deciding who has a right to be here. They don't even use the matricula card in Mexico, it would be the easiest document to obtain fraudulently.

[Dante3]

BUMP

[Happy2BMe]

Mexican ID card under fire: GOP lawmakers want document banned as valid identification

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Stop the Mexican Raid on Our Social Security and the Mexican "ID" Card

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Mexican ID cards under fire

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Mexican ID card under fire: GOP lawmakers want document banned as valid identification

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Stop the Mexican Raid on Our Social Security and the Mexican "ID" Card

Colorado bans Mexican ID cards

Police approve Mexican ID cards

FBI Criticizes Mexican Consular I.D. Cards

Mexican ID cards under fire

Stop the Mexican Raid on Our Social Security and the Mexican "ID" Card

Napa council OKs Mexican ID card

Ford vice president acquires Mexican citizenship, ID card

GOPers tell Ridge Mexican ID card a threat to security

Mexican police ID card for drug lord found in home of ex-girlfriend

[CyberCowboy777]

Washington State Ping List

This is all known Washington State Freepers and interested parties as of 2/6/04 - 362 FReepers
Less those who opted out
If you want on or off this ping list Freepmail me.

[Hila]

Again, the main breech and law-breaking is to reward those who broke the law by offering some status of acceptance. "What better to know and identify those who are already here?" They should not be here!!!! Is it once more greed (American employers wanting to employ cheap labor) that is going to bring down this society? And of course the Spanish speaking voters may not remotely consider voting Republican.

[malia]

If you remember President Ronald Reagan, you will remember the "86% of the time"!

A third party vote will get you where------?

[malia]

Good information, thanks!!!

[Eva]

These idiot lawmakers never consider that those social security numbers often belong to real citizens who are then dunned by the IRS for the withholding taxes. I have a friend that had this happen two years in a row.

[citizen]

Washington State bump