Illegal Aliens Can Get Help Now Obtaining Prescriptions,
Medical Care, Credit Cards or Bank Accounts.
How to Get Credit Cards and Prescription Discount Help for
Illegal Immigrants in the USA.
Where
can I get help?
The following programs may help undocumented people or
illegal aliens get the health care they need.
Immigrants who:
Do not have a green card
Do not have a Visa
Have an expired Visa
Undocumented immigrants
Not a U.S.
citizen
undocumented immigrant
Free Prescription Discounts for Illegal Aliens:
Enroll and Print out all three FREE
prescription discount cards nationwide instantly at www.FreeDrugDiscountCard.com for
your whole family. No immigration information or SSN number is required.
What other health care can illegal immigrants get?
Click here for more
undocumented persons resources info –
check your state for similar programs for undocumented persons.
If an undocumented worker has uninsured, medical costs there are a few
options available. Here are a few places where you can get free or low cost
care.
Because of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor
Act of 1985, hospital emergency rooms are required by law to treat uninsured
people without reimbursement whether or not they have insurance. Numerous
organizations have been established to direct illegal’s
into our medical systems and help them obtain free medical services. The
following organizations all work to establish and support rights for illegal
aliens, even though aliens aren’t citizens of the united States of America:
- The
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- National Immigration Law
Center
- American
Immigration Lawyers Association
- American
Bar Association's Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice, and Pro Bono
- Immigrant Legal Resource
Center
- George
Soros's Open Society Institute
- Migration
Policy Institute
- National
Network for Immigration and Refugee Rights
- County
programs: Your county may help people who make very little money and have
no insurance. Call the Health Consumer
Center near you for more information.
- County
Public Hospitals: Many counties have a public hospital that must give free
care to some people who live there. Many of these hospitals use “county
hospital” in their name. Ask the hospital’s business office if the
hospital is a county public hospital and ask for an application for free
care.
- Non-Profit
Hospitals in California:
The state gives certain hospitals some tax breaks. In return, they must
provide some level of charity care to the communities they serve,
especially for those who do not earn a lot of money and have no health
insurance. Ask the hospital’s business office if the hospital is a
non-profit and ask to apply for its charity or free care program.
- Free
Clinics: To find a free or low cost clinic near you, visit Find a Health Center to find a health
center near you. HRSA-supported health centers care for you, even if you
have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your
income. Health centers are in most cities and many rural areas.
-
Anchor babies are United States citizens from the
moment they’re born, and they instantly qualify for public welfare aid. And
over 300,000 anchor babies become citizens each year in the United States thanks to the 14th Amendment to
the U.S. Constitution: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof, are citizens of the United
States and the State wherein they reside."
How Illegal Aliens can get a Credit card and open a Bank
Account:
Credit Cards and Bank Accounts for Illegal Immigrants
The Wall Street Journal front page story on February 13,
2007 revealed that Bank of America has a new credit card, especially and
exclusively for immigrants – aliens who are here illegally and/or have no
credit record or Social Security number. Approximately eleven million undocumented
immigrants can apply for a credit card thru Bank of America who maintain that
they are in compliance with all U.
S. banking and antiterrorism laws. Illegal
immigrants can go to the Mexican consulate and get a matricula
consular, an identification card that allows aliens to open bank accounts. An
article on BusinessWeek.com quotes a bank branch manager stating that matricula holders are “bringing us all the money that has
been under the mattress.” Only about 300 of the more than 8,000 banks in the U.S.
accept the Matrícula Consular as valid identification.
Another interesting tidbit of information is that President Bush’s first
Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from 2003-2005 was a man
named Eduardo Aguirre. His job before that? He was president of international
private banking for Bank of America. You connect the dots.
Department of Homeland Security
spokesman Russ Knocke said banking products aimed at
illegal immigrants “reinforce the need for a temporary worker program” that the
Bush administration has been promoting. That program would screen, tax and
otherwise regulate immigrant workers and, the administration contends, would
squeeze out illegal workers who now use forged or stolen documents to get jobs,
driver’s licenses and occasionally credit.
Anti-money-laundering regulations passed in the wake of the
Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks put more pressure on banks to verify customers’
identity and watch for suspicious transactions, but they don’t require banks to
ascertain whether account holders are in the U.S. legally. Most banks require a
Social Security number or ITIN to open an account, but regulations also allow them
to accept other government-issued forms of identification in some instances,
including passport numbers, alien identification numbers or any
government-issued document with photo showing nationality or place of
residence.
A handful of retailers, such as Los Angeles’s closely held La Curacao
department store chain, have boosted their business by cultivating illegal
immigrants with store credit cards. “Once you capture them, they become very
loyal,” says Ron Azarkman, chief executive of La
Curacao, which has developed its own in-house credit-ratings system. “This is a
promising market, as long as it is carefully managed,” he says, adding that the
average APR charged by his company is 22.9%.
Bank of America hasn’t launched an ad campaign for the new card.
For the time being, it is counting on word of mouth that starts with its
employees at each banking center. Many of the Spanish-speaking account holders
who come to teller Luz Quintanilla’s window at Bank of America’s East Hollywood branch, already have a Social Security
number and regular credit card with the bank. But she suggests in
Spanish that “maybe you have family or friends who don’t have a Social Security
number, but wish to build their credit.”
In selling the card, a major challenge is to persuade immigrants
who are sometimes wary of plastic that holding a credit card is an important
step on the way to obtaining loans for big-ticket items, such as a car or even
a home. Pictures of a check book, credit card, car and house in
ascending order illustrate this concept in one pamphlet in Spanish and English
titled “How to Build Your Credit, Step by Step.”
Bank of America defends the program, saying it complies with U.S. banking
and antiterrorism laws. Company executives say that the initiative isn’t about
politics, but rather about meeting the needs of an untapped group of potential
customers. (On September 14, 2004 Congress voted
down a motion to prevent financial institutions from accepting consular IDs. [1] )
“These people are coming here for quality of life, and they
deserve somebody to give them a chance to achieve that quality of life,” says
Brian Tuite, the bank’s director of Latin
America card operations and one of the architects of the program.
Bank of America's New
Credit Card Targets Illegal Immigrants
Bank of America Corp. has begun offering credit cards to
customers without Social Security numbers, typically illegal immigrants, the
Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
In recent years, banks across the country have been offering
checking accounts and even mortgages to the nation's fast-growing ranks of
undocumented immigrants, most of whom are Hispanic, the paper said, adding
these immigrants generally have not been able to get major credit cards.
The new Bank of America card is open to people who lack both
a Social Security number and a credit history, as long as they have held a
checking account with the bank for three months without an overdraft, the
Journal said.
Bank of America tested the program last year at five
branches in Los Angeles, and last week expanded
it to 51 branches in Los Angeles County, home to the largest concentration of illegal
immigrants in the U.S.,
the Journal said.
- Get
a Matrícula Consular card
-
What is and How to Get a Matrícula Consular
(Nearly 300 banks in the U.S.
accept the Matrícula Consular as valid identification)
(A photo identification card issued to Mexican
citizens)
HOW DOES SOMEONE OBTAIN A
MATRICULA CARD?
To obtain a Matricula card, a Mexican national must
complete an application form in person at any of the 47 consulate offices of
the Government of Mexico within the United States. Applicants must
submit a certified copy of a birth certificate, present an official picture ID
issued by any Mexican or U.S.
authority, and show proof of residence in the consular district by presenting a
phone, rent or power bill.
What is the Matricula Consular Fact Sheet
What is the matricula
consular?
A Matricula
Consular is an official I.D. card, which is issued by the Mexican Government through
its Consular Offices. The document ONLY proves that the bearer is of Mexican
nationality and is living outside of Mexico.
Requirements to obtain the Matricula Consular:
Applicant must appear in person
Applicant must present an original birth
certificate to prove Mexican nationality.
An official government issued photo I.D.
to prove identity.
Proof of address (utility bill, lease,
etc) under the same name.
Secondary requirements:
Telephone number
Next of kin information
If a married woman wishes to use her
married name, she must present an original marriage certificate.
In case of a lost or stolen ID the
applicant must also provide a police report in order to obtain a new Matricula Consular.
Procedure followed when issuing a Matricula Consular:
Information booth: the applicant receives the information regarding
requirements (see 2 and 3 above) in order to obtain the Matricula
Consular. If these requirements are provided, the applicant is then interviewed
and the submitted documentation is verified. If all the documentation is
correct the applicant receives an application and a control number.
Call window: A Consular Staff member calls the number issued,
reviews the applicant’s documentation once again and interviews the applicant.
Once the second verification has been completed the documents are processed
along with the payment of the Matricula Consular (28
U.S. dollars). The applicant is to wait while the information is inputted into
the MatriculaSystem.
Data Capturing: A Consular Staff member introduces the applicants’
information into the Matricula System. The system
will let us know has already been issued a Matricula,
and if so, the previously captured photograph will appear, which avoids
duplicity. The Matricula System has the capacity to
keep a record of documents issued to each individual.
Photograph and signature: Once the data is entered, a forth Consular Staff
member calls the applicant and with him verifies that the information already
in the system is correct. An important part of this process is the fact that
before the picture is taken the applicant must once again show his official ID
in order to avoid someone from passing himself off as someone else. Once this
is done the picture is taken and the signature is digitalized. After this, the
system assigns an individual number that will appear on the card.
Printing and finishing: As soon as the previous step is concluded, the matricula is digitally printed on a secure form. Special
care must be taken to ensure that the applicant’s matricula
is printed on the corresponding numbered form, since the number assigned by the
system must match the one pre-printed on the secure form. After printing the matricula is then laminated, once again the lamination has
the matricula number pre printed on it, so in the
same fashion as before the matricula and the
lamination must match.
In the United States,
only a few states, municipalities, and businesses accept the Matrícula Consular as an official form of identification.
Only about 300 of the more than 8,000 banks in the U.S. accept the Matrícula
Consular as valid identification. The Matrícula
Consular, like all Consular ID, is neither permitted nor prohibited to be used
in this fashion by the USA Patriot Act, which was signed into law by Congress
on October 26, 2001. Because of this, Mexican nationalists and critics of
immigration law enforcement argue that because it is not prohibited then it must be permitted.
The Matrícula Consular
("Consular Registration") is an identification card issued by the Government of Mexico through its consulate offices.
The official purpose of the card is to demonstrate that the bearer is a Mexican
national living outside of Mexico.
Similar consulate identification cards are issued to citizens of Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador,
Honduras,
and Peru. Poland is the first
nation outside of Latin America to consider
issuing the cards. [3].
In the United States, several states, municipalities, and
businesses accept the Matrícula Consular as an
official form of identification. The USA
Patriot Act, passed by Congress on October 26,
2001, is silent on
the use of the Matricula Consular and other Consular
ID's.
On September
14, 2004
Congress voted down a motion to prevent financial institutions from accepting
consular IDs. [1]
Representative Tom Price (GA-06-R) has announced that the Committee on
Financial Services will be convening hearings on the methods permitted by the
Treasury Department applying to the use of the matricula
consular by banking institutions for the purposes of verification of identity.
The
Matricula Consular (Matricula),
also referred
to as the Certificate of Consular Registration, is a water-sealed photo
identification card issued to Mexican citizens by the Mexican Government. Local
offices of the Consulate General of Mexico facilitate this service in the United States.
The Matricula
operates as a Mexican citizen's primary identification and proof of residency
in Mexico.
The Matricula card is a numbered document which
evidences the date of issuance and an expiration date. The Matricula
includes a picture, a signature, and a brief description of the individual it
identifies (name, date, place of birth, and the address of the individual).
Security features include lamination, a watermark and a magnetic strip. The Matricula is normally valid for a period of five years, but
it may be issued for lesser terms as indicated by the expiration date.
Click
here for more information about a Matricula Consular
Embajada de México en Estados Unidos de América
Consulado de México en Alburquerque 1610-4th Street, NW Albuquerque
N.M. 87102 E.U.A.
Horario de Oficina:8:00am a 5:00pm
(505) 247-2147/4177
Pub., 247-2139 242-7566
Fax: (505) 842-9490
consulmexalb@qwest.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/albuquerque/
Consulado General de México en Atlanta 2600
Apple Valley Rd., Atlanta, Ga. 30319 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
18:00hrs
(404) 266-2233 x grabadora
Fax: (404) 266-2309/2302
informacion@consulmexatlanta.org
http:/www.consulmexatlanta.org/
Consulado General de México en Austin
800 Brazos Street, Suite 330, Austin, Tx. 78701
E.U.A.
(512) 478-2866 conm.
(512) 478-2300 directo
Fax: (512) 478-8008
austin@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/austin/
Consulado General de México en Boston 20 Park Plaza,
Suite 506,
Boston Ma. 02116 EE.UU.
Atención al Público: 9:00 a
17:30hrs.
Conmutador: (617) 426-41 81 350-5263/64/66/2250/8782
Servicio Gratuito: (1877)
426-4181
Fax:(617) 695-1957
cmxboston@conversent.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/boston/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Brownsville 301
Mexico Blvd. Suite F-2 Brownsville Tx. 78520 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:30 a
17:00hrs.
(956) 542-4431/2051/5182
Fax: (956) 542-7267
conbrownsville@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/brownsville
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Caléxico 408 Heber Ave. Calexico,
California 92231
Atención al Público:
8:00 a 17:00hrs.
(760) 357-3863/4132
Fax: (760) 357-6284
informacion@concalexico.org
http://www.sre.gob.mx/calexico
Consulado General de México en Chicago
204 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago Illinois., 60607 E.U.A
(312) 855-1380 (Información)
(312) 738-2383 Conmutador
Fax: (312) 491-9072
Info@consulmexchicago.com
http://www.consulmexchicago.com/
Consulado General de México en Dallas
8855 N. Stemmons
Freeway, Dallas Tx., 75247 E.U.A.
(214) 252-9250/52/53
Fax:(214) 630-3511
info@consulmexdallas.com
http://www.sre.gob.mx/dallas/
Consulado General de México en Denver 5350 Leetsdale Drive, Suite 100,
Denver,
Colorado 80246 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
17:00hrs.
(303) 331-1110/1112 At´n. Púb.
x Grab.
Fax: (303) 331-1872
nuevasede@consulmex-denver.com
http://www.consulmex-denver.com/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Detroit The
Penobscot Building, 645 Griswold
Avenue, 17th. Floor, Suite 830 Detroit Mi., 48226,
E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
17:00hrs.
(313) 964-4515/4532/4534
Fax:(313) 964-4522 consulmexmichoh@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/detroit/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Douglas 1201"F" Avenue, Douglas, Az., 85607 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
17:00hrs
(520) 364-3107/42
Fax:(520) 364-1379
conmex@c2i2.com
http://www.consulmexdouglas.com/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Del Rio 2398 Spur 239, Del Río
Tx. 78840 E.U.A.
Apartado Postal 1275
(830) 775-2352
Fax:(830) 774-6497
consulmexdel.titular@wcsonline.net
Consulado General de México en El
Paso 910 East San Antonio
Avenue, El Paso
Tx. 79901, E.U.A.
P.O. Box 812 Cod. Post. 79945
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
17:00hrs
(915) 533-5714 544-6177
Fax:(915) 532-7163
conepaso@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/elpaso/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Eagle Pass 140 N. Adams Street, Eagle Pass Tx. 78852, E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 9:00 a
18:00hrs.
(830) 773-9255/56
Fax: (830) 773-9397
consulmxeag@sbcglobal.net
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Filadelfia 111
South Independence Mall East, Suite 310, The Bourse Building, Philadelphia Pa.,
19106 E.U.A
Atención al Público: 8:30 a
17:30hrs.
(215) 922-4262
Fax:(215) 923-7281
buzon@consulmexphila
http://www.sre.gob.mx/filadelfia/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Fresno 2409 Merced Street, Fresno Ca., 93721 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
16:00hrs.
(559) 233-3065
Fax: (559) 233-6156
consulado@consulmexfresno.net
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/con_fresno/
Consulado General de México en Houston
4507 San Jacinto Street Houston
TX. 77004, EUA.
(713) 271-6800/ 995-1225-0218 Conm. con contestador automático
Fax: (713) 271-3201, 772-1229
mailhou@wt.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/houston/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Indianápolis 39 West Jackson Place, Suite 103 Indianapolis,
IN 46225
"Unon Station
Building,en la esquina de las calles Meridian y Louisiana" Atención al Público: 9:00 a
14:00hrs.
(317) 951-0005/4174/1044
Fax: (317) 951-0006/4176
conindianapolis@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/indianapolis/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Kansas
City 1600 Baltimore Ave.,
Suite 100, Kansas City, Missouri, 64108
Atención al Público:
9:00 a 17:00hrs.
(816) 556-0800 al 03
Fax: (816) 556-0900
conkansas@sre.gob.mx
Consulado General de México en Los Ángeles 2401 West 6th. Street, Los Ángeles, Ca. 90057 EE.UU.
(213) 351-6800 al 07 conm.
Fax: (213) 383-7306
lanmex01@worldnet.att.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Laredo 1612 Farragut
St., Laredo Tx. 78040 E.U.A.
P.O. Box 659
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
17:00hrs.
(956) 723-6369/0990
Fax:(956) 723-1741
consul@srelaredo.org
http://www.sre.gob.mx/laredo/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Las Vegas 330 S. Fourth St., Las
Vegas, NV. 89101
E.U.A.
(702) 383-0623
Fax:(702) 383-0683
conlvegas@sre.gob.mx
http:/www.sre.gob.mx/lasvegas/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en McAllen 600
South Broadway Street, McAllen Tx. 78501 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 9:00 a
17:00hrs.
(956) 686-0243/0554/1777
Fax: (956) 686-4901
conmallen@sre.gob.mx
Consulado General de México en Miami
5975 SW 72 Street (Sunset
Drive) Suites 101,
Miami Fl. 33143, E.U.A.
(786) 268-4900 conm.
Fax: (786) 268-4895
conmxmia@bellsouth.net
http://www.sre.gob.mx/miami/
Consulado General de México en Nogales
571 N. Grand Avenue, Nogales Az. 85621 E.U.A.
(520) 287-2521,0287-3381, 287-3386
Fax: (520) 287-3175
consulmex2@mchsi.com
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/nogales/
Consulado General de México en Nueva
York 27 East 39th. Street, Nueva York N.Y.,
10016 E.U.A.
(212) 217-6400 contestado x grabadora
Fax: (212) 217-6493
webmaster@consulmexny.org
http://www.consulmexny.org/
Consulado General de México en Omaha 3552 Dodge Street, Omaha,
Nebraska, 68131-3210
E.U.A.
(402) 595-1841 AL
44
Fax: (402) 595-1845
consulmexomaha@qwest.net
Consulado General de México en Orlando
100 West Washington Street Orlando, Fl., 32801-2315 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:30 a
17:30hrs.
(407) 422-0514
Fax: (407) 422-9633
consulado@conorlando.net
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/orlando/
Consulado General de México en Oxnard 3151
West Fifth Street E-100, Oxnard Ca. 93030, E.U.A.
(805) 984-8738/2162/2673/4105
Fax: (805) 984-8747
consul@consulmexoxnard.com
http://www.sre.gob.mx/oxnard/
Consulado General de México en Phoenix
1990 West Camelback Rd Suite
110, Phoenix Az. 85015 E.U.A.
(602) 242-7398 conm. 249-2363, 433-2294, 242-8569
Fax: (602) 242-2957
contactenos@consulmexphoenix.phxcoxmail.com
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/phoenix/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Portland 1234 South West Morrison Street, Portland, Oregon, 97205 E.U.A.
Horario Atención al Público: de 8:30 a 17:30hrs.
(503) 274-1442/ 478-0435
Fax: (503) 274-1540
portland@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/portland/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Presidio Highway 67, Block 17, Kelly Building Adition 1, Presidio, Tx. 79845,
EE.UU.. P.O. Box 2259
(432) 229-2788
Fax: (432) 229-2792
conpresidio@bluemoon.cc
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Raleigh 336 E Six Forks Rd, Raleigh, N.C. 27609,
E.U.A.
(919) 754-0046
Fax: (919) 754-1729
conraleigh@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/raleigh/
Consulado General de México en Sacramento 1010 8th.
Street, Sacramento Ca. 95814 E.U.A.
(916) 441-3287/3065 conm.
Fax: (916) 441-3147
sacramento@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sacramento/
Consulado General de México en San Antonio 127 Navarro Street, San Antonio Tx., 78205
EE.UU.
Atención al Público: 8:30 a
14:00hrs. y de 15:00 a 17:00hrs
(210) 227-9145/9156 conm.
Fax: (210) 227-1817
info@consulmexsat.org
http://www.consulmexsat.org/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en San Bernardino 293 North "D" Street, San
Bernardino Ca., 92401, E.U.A.
Atención al Público:
L-M-J-V de 8:00 a 14:00hrs y Miercoles 8:00 a
17:00hrs
(909) 889-9836-37/889-9808
Fax: (909) 889-8285
conmexbe@hotmail.com
http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanbernardino/
Consulado General de México en San Diego 1549
India St., San Diego Ca., 92101, E.U.A.
(619) 231-8414 con 10 líneas
Fax: (619) 231-4802/3561
info@consulmexsd.org
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sandiego/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Seattle 2132 Third Avenue, Seattle
Wa., 98121, E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
17:00hrs
(206) 448-3526/6819/8971
Fax: (206) 448-4771
comexico1@uswest.net conseattle@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/seattle/
Consulado General de México en San Francisco 532
Folsom Street San Francisco Ca., 94105 EE.UU.
(415) 354-1700/ 354-1701
Fax: (415) 495-3971
consfrancisco@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco/
Consulado General de México en San José 540 North First Street, San José, Ca., 95112 E.U.A.
Atención al Público: 8:00 a
16:00hrs.
(408) 294-3414/15
Fax: (408) 294-4506
consjose@sre.gob.mx
http://www.consulmexsj.com/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Santa Ana 828 N.
Broadway St. Santa Ana Ca. 92701-3424 EE.UU.
(714) 835-3069
Fax: (714) 835-3472
consulmexsantana@consulmexsantana.org
http://www.sre.gob.mx/santaana/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Salt Lake City 155 South 300 West, 3rd. Floor, Salt Lake
City Ut., 84101 E.U.A.
(801) 521-8502/03 328-0620
Fax: (801) 521-0534
consuladoslc@consulmexslc.org
http://www.consulmexslc.org/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Saint Paul 797 East 7th Street, Saint Paul,
Minn., 55106
(651) 771-5494 conm.
Fax: (651) 772-4419
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/saintpaul/
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Tucson 553 South Stone Avenue, Tucson Az.,
85701, EE.UU.
Atención al Publico de 8:00
a 14:00hrs
(520) 882-5595/6 791-2977 623-0146
Fax: (520) 882-8959
contucmx@sre.gob.mx
Consulado de Carrera de
México en Yuma 600 W.
16th. Street, Yuma,
Az., 85364 EE.UU.
(928) 343-0066, (928) 343-9600 y (928) 343-9699
Fax: (928) 343-0077
conyuma@sre.gob.mx
http://www.sre.gob.mx/yuma/
Seccion Consular de la Embajada
de México 2827 16th. Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20009-4260 E.U.A.
(202) 736-1000/02
Fax: (202) 234-4498
consulwas@sre.gob.mx
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/washington/
By KENNETH D. LEWIS
Finding oneself in the middle of a heated national debate is never pleasant.
For the 200,000 associates at Bank of America, the harsh reaction by some to
our pilot program marketing credit cards in Los Angeles has been deeply concerning. We
are feeling the passion that surrounds America's unresolved immigration
debate.
Some of our customers have been direct about their feelings: They don't like
what we are doing. Why should anyone, they ask, who does not hold a Social
Security card have access to credit?
There are two answers. First, the program is not about illegal immigrants,
and never was. It is designed to help Bank of America customers build a credit
history. Second, we believe we have an obligation to serve all those in our
country who are legally eligible to receive services. To do less would be
discriminatory and unfair.
This debate arises out of the identification laws and regulations in the financial
services industry, and the facts may surprise some who have criticized this
pilot.
Many of the laws the financial services industry follows today were put in
place to help protect America.
Shortly after 9/11, Congress, in near unanimous agreement, passed, and the
president signed into law, the USA Patriot Act. This law has one provision that
troubles many of its critics. It allows financial institutions to accept some
official identification sources issued by foreign governments, including the matricula consular, an ID issued by Mexican consulate
offices to its nationals living outside Mexico, as valid.
Former Treasury Secretary John Snow wrote to congressional leaders in 2004,
"Americans are better protected if consumers of all nationalities are invited
into the financial mainstream." To do otherwise, the secretary warned,
would "drive large sections of the U.S. population to underground
financial services, [and] weaken the government's ability to enforce money
laundering and terrorist financing laws."
I agree with Mr. Snow's comments. And I observe no shortage of irony in the
efforts of those whose first concern is national security, but who seek to
undermine a regulatory structure that was designed in large part to thwart
terrorism.
The matricula consular card has received its share
of criticism, much of it because it allows for the possibility that illegal
immigrants may use it to participate in our financial systems. But it also is a
key tool in our efforts to ensure that our financial systems are not used for
illegal purposes.
Specifically, in regard to Bank of America's marketing program, I would like
to clarify some facts. Some have suggested that we directly target illegal
immigrants, or that our program could undermine law enforcement. Let me be
clear: Bank of America does not deliberately market financial products and
services to illegal immigrants from any country. And our program complies with
all our company's efforts to work with law enforcement agencies to prevent
misuse of our nation's financial systems.
Even so, reports have stated that in some cases illegal immigrants are able
to sign up for the bank's products and services. These reports are true. They
also are true for many financial institutions and businesses in our country
today.
We created this pilot program in Los
Angeles to help Bank of America customers with little
or no credit history build a solid credit history with a leading bank, and to
strengthen our relationships with individuals and families we hope will become
loyal Bank of America customers in the future as their financial needs grow. As
with all our products, the program meets the identification requirements of the
USA Patriot Act, U.S. Treasury Department regulations and internal fraud
prevention procedures.
The bank requires that all applicants provide us approved forms of ID,
including an unexpired, U.S.
government-issued or foreign government-issued identification card. In fact,
while many people legally in our country do not possess Social Security
numbers, 84% of the participants in our pilot do. The remaining 16% meet the
requirements for government-issued ID as set forth above.
Secured credit cards are nothing new. They are offered at Bank of America
and many other financial institutions as a way for customers to build their
credit history. The L.A.
pilot is simply a new promotion of a secured credit card product that has been
available for years.
After a week of listening to our customers, we have made a decision. We will
continue our card marketing pilot program in the Los Angeles market.
We know some will find this unacceptable. Even so, we feel we have a great
obligation to live by the laws of the land, to serve our customers, and to do
our part to support the security of our nation's financial systems. Congress
may choose to revisit this important issue. And as they do so, we will do what
we have always done: abide by the letter and spirit of all this nation's laws
and regulations, and continue to meet the needs of all our customers and the
communities we serve.
Mr. Lewis is chairman and CEO of Bank of America.
What health care can immigrants get?
Many low-income legal immigrants can get regular Medi-Cal
or Healthy Families. Undocumented immigrants can get restricted Medi-Cal for emergency situations.
Who qualifies for Medi-Cal?
You may be eligible for Medi-Cal if:
- You are low-income
- You are a child, a parent,
pregnant, elderly, a person with disabilities or a relative caring for a
child
- You live in California and plan to stay; and
- You are in the U.S.
legally or a lawful permanent resident.
For more information please read Many
immigrants can get Medi-Cal and Healthy Families
and Immigrants and Health Care.
What if I am an undocumented immigrant?
You may still be eligible for restricted Medi-Cal.
Restricted Medi-Cal will cover emergency situations,
health care for pregnant women, kidney dialysis, nursing home care and
treatment for breast and cervical cancer.
You may be eligible for Medi-Cal if:
- You are low-income
- You are a child, parent,
person with a disability or elderly, and
- You live in California and plan to stay.
Immigration status does not matter for restricted Medi-Cal.
For more information please read Undocumented
immigrants can get restricted Medi-Cal.
Will it hurt my sponsor if I get Medi-Cal?
It depends. Some examples of when your sponsor does not have to repay your
health expenses include:
- When you get services before
having your green card
- In an emergency situation
- If you get treatment for a
contagious disease
- If you and your family
members have worked 40 quarters or more and
- For any services you receive
after becoming a U.S.
citizen.
There are other situations where your sponsor will not be responsible for
health services that you receive. For additional information please read Will it
hurt my sponsor if I get healthcare? and contact one of our local Health
Consumer Centers.
Should I worry about public charge?
Most immigrants can get health care without hurting their immigration
status. This includes getting Medi-Cal and Healthy
Families. However, immigrants who need nursing home or mental health services
should contact the Health
Consumer Center
before receiving health benefits. For additional information please read Should I
worry about public charge? and contact one of our local Health Consumer
Centers.
Know your rights
Whether or not you are a citizen, it is important that you and your family
know your rights. The following brochures will describe what rights you have
and what you should do if you are contacted by the police.
Health care for immigrants brochures
The Health Consumer Alliance has these materials to help you. Click on the
link to find the brochures translated into 14 languages:
Brochures
Issue Briefs
Where can I get more help?
The Health Consumer Alliance helps people get the health care they need. We
can help you with your legal problems getting health care. Click on Local Centers to find
the health consumer center near you.
get help now 
local centers publications about hca news links search 
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What if I can't get insurance?
What if I can’t get on any of these programs?
You may be able to get insurance through the California Major Risk Medical
Insurance Program (MRMIP). This is insurance for Californians who get
insurance in the individual insurance market. Call the MRMIP program at
1-800-289-6574 for more information.
Here are a few places where you can get free or low cost care.
- County programs: Your
county may help people who make very little money and have no insurance.
Call the Health
Consumer Center near you for more information.
- County Public
Hospitals: Many counties have a public hospital that must give free care
to some people who live there. Many of these hospitals use “county
hospital” in their name. Ask the hospital’s busin
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