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 News from Around the Americas | April 2005 
Legislators Set To Pass Limits On Mexican IDs
 Elvia Díaz - The Arizona Republic
| | In 2002, the Mexican government decided to upgrade security features of the card, partly in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. |
The credit card-size ID issued to more than 102,000 Mexicans living in Arizona soon could be useless for public business such as getting water service, library cards or help from community health centers.
The Legislature is expected to send Gov. Janet Napolitano as early as today a measure banning cities, towns and state government from accepting the Mexican ID cards issued by the Mexican Consulate as valid identification.
Known as matricula consular and considered to be evidence of Mexican nationality, the card is the latest legislative tool in the thorny battle over illegal immigration and Arizona's security. It has become an essential part of the daily routine for increasing numbers of Arizonans, primarily undocumented immigrants who can't get an Arizona-issued ID card. Many say they could not get by without it.
But critics say the cards pose a danger to national security because the information and identities on them may be false. They say terrorists could use the cards to establish themselves in the United States and acquire the services they need to live here until they could carry out an attack.
"The consular cards are notoriously unreliable," said Republican Sen. Dean Martin of Phoenix, who championed the bill.
Mexican Consulate officials say high-tech security features make the cards verifiable and secured.
The measure, Senate Bill 1511, mandates that local and state governments accept only IDs issued by Arizona, the federal government or Indian tribes. The legislation, which cleared the Senate and gained tentative approval in the House, would not affect the use of the card for private transactions such as opening a bank account or buying a car.
Despite the Legislature's push to restrict the use of the matricula, immigrants such as 32-year-old María Rabadan and 31-year-old Antonio Chavarria are jamming the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix seeking the ID card. Expecting her third child, Rabadan walked to the consulate this week to get an ID card she will use for doctor's visits and government transactions she will make as she settles in this country.
The two said the plastic card is the only legal document they carry as proof of identity. They use it for everything from getting water service and paying traffic tickets to opening bank accounts and traveling to Mexico.
The cards have become so widely accepted by the business community in Arizona that their widespread use is expected to continue even if the legislation passes. Bank of America and Wells Fargo are among the private businesses accepting the matricula card. Since November 2001, Wells Fargo has opened accounts for more than 500,000 Mexicans in 23 states, including Arizona, officials said.
Accepting the matricula has allowed thousands of Mexicans to move "from a risky cash economy to secured and reliable financial services," said Marilyn Taylor of Wells Fargo.
"We're making it easier, cheaper and secured for them to manage their money," said Taylor, adding that the matricula card is good enough for the company because it has a photo, an expiration date and a brief description of the holder, among other features.
Some immigrants say they will be forced to buy false IDs, such as fake driver's licenses, to present to government agencies if the bill is signed into law.
"That would leave us no choice but to buy fake papers, and that would be worse," Chavarria said as he obtained a matricula this week. "We want to have an acceptable ID."
Like Chavarria, undocumented immigrants can't obtain an Arizona ID card because they lack a Social Security number and other documentation required by the state.
"I'd think it is better for the government to know who we are," said Chavarria, who has worked in Phoenix for eight years.
Rep. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, and other opponents said the bill could prevent immigrants from seeking publicly funded domestic-violence shelters. It would also apply to ambulance services and community health centers receiving public money, he said. Others criticized the bill as potentially dangerous to Arizona's security, saying it would limit police officers' means of identifying a good chunk of Arizona's population.
Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, Mesa and more than 360 cities across the nation accept the matricula.
Phoenix police Sgt. Randy Force said the matricula card can be used as a tool for police work.
"We try to identify people through any means possible," said Force, adding that he doesn't believe the proposed law would have much effect on the way officers perform their jobs.
"The matricula is a starting point like any other document," Force said. "It's better than nothing. It has a person's name and date of birth on it."
In 2002, the Mexican government decided to upgrade security features of the card, partly in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Since then, the card has gained greater political visibility. About 1.8 million of them are in use throughout the country.
The new matriculas bear the cardholder's photograph, U.S. address and information visible only under infrared light. Applicants must present a birth certificate, photo identification and proof of address to obtain one.
"These are high-tech cards with many security features," Mexican Consulate spokeswoman Larissa Valenzuela said, rejecting the notion the cards are unreliable.
The cards helps local governments verify who is here, where they come from and where they live, Valenzuela said.
Although applauding the improvements made to the Mexican card, Martin said that the bill is still needed because other countries aren't necessarily following suit and that such cards are still easy to get.
"The matricula consular is the most popular here because of our proximity to Mexico," Martin said, adding that the legislation would apply to ID cards issued by any foreign country.
"This is a security issue," Martin said. "The cards are used by illegal immigrants, and they are here for various purposes."
No one disputes that the cards can be crucial to day-to-day living. This week, Zorina Delgado, 39, found herself unable to replace the matricula card she lost because she did not have photo identification. She originally obtained the card using official Mexican documents and an out-of-state driver's license.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," said Delgado, a nurse's assistant who lives in Mesa. "I've been here for 15 years, working and paying taxes. Now, I can't even get a Mexican ID." |
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