Posted on 09/03/2006 9:16:31 AM PDT by dennisw
The consular IDs, and increasingly the passports, are the best option for Mexicans seeking to register a vehicle, obtain car insurance, cash paychecks, open bank accounts, rent apartments and get a tax ID number to file with the IRS.
Although some banks and check-cashing outlets take the matriculas, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles rejects them. The agency does accept passports as supporting documents for drivers licenses for those in the process of legalization.
In growing numbers, immigrants from Central and North Florida line up outside the Orlando office of the Mexican Consulate in the middle of the night, hoping for a shot at getting the IDs they need to cash paychecks, rent an apartment or get insurance.
On a typical day, only about 100 people make it through the line that will lead to cards known as matriculas and passports issued by the Mexican government -- often the only form of photo identification available for immigrants with temporary status or even residing in the country illegally.
"I have been here since 10 p.m., and it's past 3:30 a.m. And there's a lot of us here," a weary Daniel Juarez, 22, of Sarasota said in Spanish. He leaned on a chain-link fence as he guarded his sixth position in a line that already snaked out beyond 100 people. "What can you do? You just wait and sleep a little bit, sleep and wait."
The ever-swelling lines at the Orlando office, which serves 54 counties, are result of rapid growth of the Mexican population combined with more-stringent state and U.S. requirements for drivers licenses and other documents.
Mexican nationals say the documents are critical to getting by as more and more employers, apartment managers, cashiers and bankers press them for photo identification.
Demand for matriculas in Florida .......
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
If I learn to speak Spanish can I get a 'get out of jail free' card too?
Where the heck is I.C.E.?
I think we should all go get a matricula card and then use them as our IDs. just to see what happens.
I don't care what anyone says illegals do NOT get insurance.
I work in an insuarance company and I can tell you for a fact that they do get insurance on thier vehicles. Besides without insurance they would not be able to have thier vehicles registered. :-)
A mexican ID is not a get out of jail free card. If a mexican commits a crime he serves his time no matter what form of ID he or she has. And he is deported for these crimes in most cases.
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