Fox's image on 'card' protested - U.S. congressman opposes Mexico's identification system (Tancredo)

The Dallas Morning News ^ | May 24, 2003 | By ALFREDO CORCHADO / The Dallas Morning News

[MeekOneGOP]

Fox's image on 'card' protested

U.S. congressman opposes Mexico's identification system

05/24/2003

By ALFREDO CORCHADO / The Dallas Morning News

MEXICO CITY – Officials and ordinary Mexicans were sharply critical Friday of a U.S. congressman who used President Vicente Fox's image as part of a campaign against Mexico's practice of issuing identification cards for its citizens abroad.

Opponents of the cards – known as matriculas – say they contribute to illegal immigration.

On Thursday in Washington, Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, denounced the U.S. Treasury Department's recent decision to allow the use of matriculas by U.S. banks.

"Since only illegal aliens would need to carry such cards for identification purposes, or need them to open bank accounts, the regulations indicate that the Treasury Department is out of step with the American people and AWOL in the battle to stem the epidemic of illegal immigration," he said at a news conference.

Mr. Tancredo hoisted a giant mock identification card with Mr. Fox's photo and name, spelling it "Vincente" instead of Vicente and also listing an incorrect birth date. The card said, "Office for the Issuance of Illegal Alien ID."

Mr. Fox was visiting Peru on Friday and unavailable for comment, but a spokesman at the Mexican Embassy in Washington called Mr. Tancredo's comments "regrettable and reprehensible."

"If public organizations and financial institutions accept the matricula as valid identification, it is because they share our opinion that this is a secure document," the spokesman said.

Over the last year, the Mexican government, through its 47 consulates in the United States, has issued about 1 million cards. They are recognized by more than 800 law enforcement agencies, including Dallas police, along with banks and schools.

Some jurisdictions reject the ID card, though. Colorado lawmakers recently barred state and local agencies from recognizing it, and it is not recognized by New York state and city.

A spokeswoman for Mr. Tancredo, Lara Kennedy, said the congressman had used the same photo and dummy card before, at a news conference in January, and was surprised at the outcry this time.

She said the prop was intended only to illustrate the problems Mr. Tancredo sees in the use of the matriculas, not to offend anyone.

"It was in no way meant to be anti-Hispanic and in no way meant to bring up any disregard or lack of respect to the president," she said.

Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, who has authored a bill that would allow banks nationwide to accept the cards for identification, criticized Mr. Tancredo's use of the poster.

"Tom was lacking statesmanship in taking the highest elected official in the nation of Mexico and trying to use him the way that he did on that poster," Mr. Hinojosa said. "He didn't apologize. Of course, he's a congressman and he can say whatever he wants to say, but that doesn't change my mind about the lack of respect."

In Mexico City, Mr. Tancredo's news conference was front-page news in Reforma, with the headline "Vincente Residente."

Victor Navarete Olivas, 27, a record vendor at a Mexico City mall, laughed at the headline and said of Mr. Tancredo's use of the poster: "It's beyond insulting and humiliating. It's hilarious and disrespectful at the same time."

Said German Contreras Reyes, 29, a cab driver: "Arrogance among Americans has no limits. ... But in the end reality is reality. The United States needs our workers so they can maintain their own standards of living, and we need them to put food on the table."

Staff writer Todd J. Gillman in Washington contributed to this report.

E-mail acorchado@dallasnews.com

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/world/stories/052403dnintcards.621d0.html

[NormsRevenge]

David Gold on KSFO 560 AM (streaming audio) is ripping up the consulata matricular card idea for the next couple of hours. Here is a link to David's http://www.goldtalk.com/website.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. bttt . . .

[madfly]

ping

Tom Tancredo
American Statesman

Go Tom, Go!

[Tancredo Fan]

She said the prop was intended only to illustrate the problems Mr. Tancredo sees in the use of the matriculas, not to offend anyone.

Who cares if Fox and his groupies are offended?

[dennisw]

I wonder where Tancredo got this wicked brilliant idea. I think I know which website :) .....Often has this sham ID displayed with shifty eyed Vicente Fox's photo.

[dagnabbit]

This is a great image that bears repeating. The Inarticulate One has failed to close the borders to both islamic terrorism and "regular" third-world chaos.

[janetgreen]

The United States needs our workers so they can maintain their own standards of living, and we need them to put food on the table."

Correction: Big companies want the workers, paying them slave wages, so they can make huge profits and force American taxpayers to provide medical care, schooling, welfare, food stamps, housing, etc.

Gosh, I wonder how all those jobs got done before we were invaded. As I recall, they did.

[Allegra]

Score another one for FR!

Congratulations! This is too cool. FR stuff ends up all over the place...like the "Sore-Loserman" signs that popped up everywhere in 2000 and Registered's "money" that ended up in Iraq and thus, on Fox News.

Way to go! I love it.

[Allegra]

Yesterday, several illegals staged a protest in Houston demanding changes in the immigration laws. They were actually demanding open borders. They used the tragedy of the dead illegals in Victoria as a prop for this. These illegals had no fear of having their names and faces on TV and were spouting their nonsense right into the camera to be beamed to the entire Greater Houston area. This is a clear indication of how bad things have gotten.

I wish I had known about this protest beforehand, because I know a lot of my fellow Houston FR Chapter members would have liked to have FReeped this.

[Flyer]

These illegals had no fear

One of my jobs in my youth was at a nursery farm. The illegals were always afraid of being found out. I was hired because they needed someone with a drivers license - that the illegals couldn't get then.

The fear is reversed now. If one is opposed to the invasion of our Nation you fear being labeled a racist.

[Duramaximus]

"Said German Contreras Reyes, 29, a cab driver: "Arrogance among Americans has no limits. ... But in the end reality is reality. The United States needs our workers so they can maintain their own standards of living, and we need them to put food on the table."

Hey cabbie... since when is it arrogant to want to preserve our nation from hordes of people with no visible means of support? The streets of LA, and the San Fernando Valley, are packed with illegals standing on the street corner looking for work. All the while their wife is at home raising a herd of kids, all supported by our tax dollars.

If it is arrogant of our nation to want to preserve our cities, our economy, our society, and our nation from 'your' invasion... then so be it! It is not my responsibility to put food on your table. I have my own family to feed. It is called responsibility; I am responsible for mine, and you are responsible for yours.

If we need people to perform the tasks currently undertaken by illegal aliens we already have the solution. It is call workfare.

According to another Freeper, a member of the American Border Patrol, this problem is deepening:

"Mexico's economy is collapsing and its ruling class does not care. It is not just poor bean farm campesinos crossing the border; it isn't just middle class. I have a stack of AeroMexico airline tickets at my elbow that says the gentry are busy bailing out. Most of the clothing I put in garbage bags last weekend was way better quality than what I'm wearing right now. Not just illegals though ---some of them are pretty self-sufficient and can work for their living, we're seeing huge numbers of elderly being brought in by family members so they can collect SSI checks and have their health problems paid for by Medicaid."

As the situation exists now Mexico is not our friend, and we need to close our borders immediately! Secondly, we need to demand accountability from every bureaucrat in Washington D.C. and Sacrademeto for their failure to act appropriately by allowing this problem to continue un-checked for decades.

I will say it again, and until this problem is rectified. Someone, or a bunch of someones, is making big money here, and that is why no one dares to stop this travesty from occuring. Rush has said it time and again: "Follow the money trail".

Until we, as a nation, demand accountability from our elected officials, the taxpayers of this nation will continue to bear the brunt of this illegal immigration issue, in our paychecks and our deteriorating neighborhoods.

[Allegra]

maybe they're spying on us here.

I certainly hope they are. They need constant reminders that most Americans do not support the idea of criminal invaders being allowed to swarm across our borders unchecked and that most of us want them to go home.

[madfly]

Very funny!!

Be careful. I seem to have gotten a virus from a Mexican web page.

Here is the message:
Found dangerous IFrame tag in HTML message.
Driving me crazy for a week now :(

[Fixit]

BTTT for selfish reasons.