Identification cards open doors for undocumented Mexicans in U.S.

Published: 2004-09-10

GALLUP, N.M. (CNS) -- In the basement of St. Francis School in Gallup, a 28-year-old woman waited while her husband completed an application for a Mexican government identification card. Her husband hoped to be among the thousands of undocumented Mexicans in New Mexico allowed to use the identification to obtain a driver's license. While some observers feel the card program is controversial, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation in 2003 to allow it. Since March 2002, Mexican consulates throughout the United States have been aggressively promoting "matriculas consular," or Mexican identification cards. The cards are considered a valid source of identification that undocumented Mexican immigrants can use to open bank accounts at 160 banks nationwide or to obtain a driver's license in one of 13 states which recognize the card for that purpose. Some opponents of the cards, however, see their promotion as a surreptitious effort by the Mexican government to circumvent the U.S. naturalization process.

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