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?"

[citizen]

How 'bout "MissouriForTancredo?"

Here,here!

[citizen]

RE Tenessee driving licenses for Illegals: Getting this law repealled or modified here has been hell ("It's to insure safety!"), but we're not giving up or going away about this.

Give 'em hell, don't give up.

I remenber the story of the corrupt license official getting burned up in her arson-fired car so she couldn't testify against the 5 illegals from NY that she gave licenses.

Illegals = Crime.

[citizen]

My God, that's brutal! [I just read the rest of your post]

[citizen]

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

Excellent idea!

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Statement: "Lawmakers debate Mexican ID cards"

Response: It is not a matter of "debate," "discussion" or "different points of view." No "Big Tent," "Room at the Table," "inclusion" or any other form of twaddle. Let troops, sweeps, buses and trains be the order of the day.

[B4Ranch]

What would you think of "volunteers"? I am quite sure we could gather up 5000 "volunteers" or so every day of the week to aid with this problem.

[citizen]

Let troops, sweeps, buses and trains be the order of the day.

Gee, pal, tell us how you really feel!

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Sounds ok to me, especially if grim faced men not known to be compassionate..

[B4Ranch]

Hit and run accidents in the L.A. area are 50%+ illegal aliens, as are DUI's.

Give 'em a license to drive drunk is what they're wanting from us.

[B4Ranch]

Call the sheriff regarding qualifications for volunteers: "Sounds ok to me, especially if grim faced men not known to be compassionate.."

[NewRomeTacitus]

"When she pleaded for help one emptied his (illegally purchased) handgun into her, one round going through the unborn baby. As he did this he told the woman "Here's your help."

Puts a whole new spin on the phrase "Late-term Abortion", doesn't it? The article described these young men as "independent contractors" who happened to be "undocumented immigrants". The reporter, while typing the details of this horrible crime perpetrated by people she knew shouldn't be here, still could not help but defend them semantically. Who's sicker, the criminals or the people who defend them?

[citizen]

So the murdering Illegals were caught?

A mother and unborn baby gunned down for no reason except that these criminals were here illegally.

Bush probably knows nothing of this sad story.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Today's make-me-want-to-cry-from-sheer-frustration

[Just Lori]

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.

Well if they're here illegally, WHY should they be able to open a bank account OR get a driver's license OR take part in other everyday transactions?????




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

Uh huh...... I'm from the government......I'm here to help you..... LISTEN TO THIS: if it doesn't help illegals become legal, then what does it do? It gives illegals a legal ID. WHAT THE HELL is up with THAT?


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.


Guess I'd better check MY bank, cause if they're in on this, they just lost me!



"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."


Illegal dignity. That's like all we need. Whatever happened to being a LEGAL citizen and being GRATEFUL to be an American? Must be just that old fashioned stuff my grandparents told me about after coming here through Ellis Island. A SENSE OF DIGNITY????? This guy is DAFFY. Dignity is having moral character and a sense of values and a willingness to follow the laws in the country in which you choose to reside. These folks are NOT about that AT ALL!




"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?


So being given an illegal ID (uh huh, you're really obeying the laws now) means you automatically become a safer driver? WHO comes up with this dribble? No, Senor Maldonado, we do NOT close our eyes. We send these folks back home and tell them they are welcome here when they enter LEGALLY!!!!!

[eeman]

The banks that accept the Mexican ID include: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Key Bank, and Washington Mutual. I guess I am pulling my Wells Fargo account this week

[eeman]

I have started a new thread here with a form letter opposing this bill. My only goal with my new thread is to facilitate people voicing their opposition to this bill. I am hoping that you can maximize the exposure of the new thread with your massive ping list. Thanks

[calawah98]

Drivers licenses for illegals.

Sorry but the state has already passed a bill allowing illegals to have drivers license, about 3 or 4 months ago. It was a little notice in my local newspaper. Or at least I am sure that is what it meant.

I would say it is so, mainly because I went in last week to get my drivers license renewed. There was one examiner that spoke spanish all the time, even calling out the numbers you need to get a place in line. All the Spanish speaking people went to this counter, the rest of us went to the counters that the examiner spoke English.
I would say two thirds of the people were HIspnaic, not one word of English did I hear from them, only spanish.

I asked the guy next to me how they could get a drivers license if they could not speak English, and he said 'if they cannot speak english they should not be able to get a drivers license.'

At the end of the row in front of us there was a Mexican woman who turned around and gave us a dirty look, and mouthed something, like shut up. He said I am sure if you went to Mexico they would have a separate line for the english speaking. He said they are just taking the jobs our kids use to do, and I agreeded with him. They called the Mexican gals number, she got up and charged back to where we were and said " you shut up!' He looked at her and told her to shut up and sit down. They are getting bolder by the day, demanding more every day, and one of these days, they will control the whole country. But who in the heck in our government gives a big rats a--, very few see the danger of unlimited immigration, or if they do, they ignore it, hastening the globilazion of the Americas'

[Just Lori]

I don't know why you posted this to me. I agree with you! Maybe you hit on the wrong "post reply" thing.

[calawah98]

Drivers licenses for illegal aliens

Because we both live in Washington, and here in SkagitValley we are up to our necks in illegals. Just wanted to let you know the Governor signed the bill that allows the illegals to have drivers license.

[Porterville]

Here is the link to the Bush Immigration Proposal you really should read it before stating, "I will remember in November and will be voting for a third party. " it is just behaving slovenly. Thanks.