News - Noticias

ID or Not ID?: Mexico's matricula meets U.S. standards

If you are a cop, a nightclub operator or a tobacco vendor, you are among the people who frequently must ask other people to verify their identities. You say something to them like, "Show me some ID," and they comply by usually presenting a driver's license, student identification card or passport.
However, if they are Mexican, they are increasingly likely to present something called in Spanish a matricula consular – that is, a special identification document issued by Mexico's government for its citizens living in the United States.
Some U.S. citizens have a problem with the matricula. For example, Republican Reps. Tom Tancredo of Colorado and Dana Rohrabacher of California say that it abets illegal immigration, since Mexico's government issues it regardless of whether recipients legally reside in the United States.
Others of a like mind say that it is easy to forge and that Mexico's government doesn't try hard enough to prove recipients' eligibility. They want Mexico to stop issuing it – and for cities like Dallas and Fort Worth to stop recognizing it.
As they say in Mexico, deben de estar bromeando. (Translation: "They must be kidding.")
Mexico is playing by U.S. rules. If some U.S. citizens don't like the matricula, they need to change the rules, not castigate Mexico.
The United States maintains a ridiculously ambivalent attitude about identification documents. On one hand, it opposes a formal government-issued ID. On the other hand, it uses driver's licenses and Social Security numbers as de facto identification documents – both of which are easy to falsify. At the same time, it sends mixed signals about illegal immigration. It says that it wants to control its borders. Yet it tacitly accepts millions of undocumented Mexican workers to fuel the U.S. economy.
If Messrs. Trancredo and Rohrabacher think that they can thwart the matricula, let them try. But they shouldn't fool themselves into thinking that doing so would stop the trade in fraudulent identification documents, or halt illegal immigration, or protect the United States against terrorist infiltrators.
If they are serious about accomplishing all those things, they should, as we've urged since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, adopt a uniform and fraud-proof national ID that adequately protects individual privacy. Until then, they should lay off Mexico's attempts to fill the vacuum that the United States itself created.

THE GREATER WASHINGTON IBERO AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND
MARYLAND/ DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MINORITY SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL JOINT
FEDERAL PROCUREMENT FAIR 2003
MARCH 14, 2003

The Greater Washington Ibero American Chamber of Commerce (GWIACC) and the Maryland/ District of Columbia Minority Supplier Development Council (MD/DC MSDC) are hosting a FEDERAL PROCUREMENT FAIR in conjunction with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s (USHCC) Legislative Conference March 14, 2003 at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC from 8:30-11:30 AM.

Each year the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) hosts its Annual Legislative Event and Banquet in Washington, DC. This premier event brings Hispanic Chambers from throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico to Washington, DC to discuss legislative matters that influence Hispanics and small businesses. The event also provides Hispanic Chamber members the opportunity to network with Government and Corporate representatives.
The FEDERAL PROCUREMENT FAIR provides procurement assistance to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. GWIACC and MD/DC MSDS create a bridge between contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers with government contracting administrators. GWIACC and MD/DC MSDS actively promote participation by its members in the procurement activities of Government Agencies with the objective of advancing economic growth and business activities. This opportune networking event reaches a national audience of firms seeking to do business with the federal government.
Attendants Include:

? GWIACC members
? MD, DC and VA Minority Development Supplier Councils
? Nationwide Hispanic and Minority Chambers of Commerce
? Minority Business Opportunity Committee Partners
? Minority suppliers from the Small Business Association
? Minority suppliers from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC
? Tier 1 companies

Complete the attached PARTICIPANT APPLICATION FORM and fax it back to 202.728.0355.

PARTICIPANT APPLICATION FORM

Name ________________________________________________________________

Title ________________________________________________________________

Company_____________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City _______________________________

State_______________________________ Zip _________________________

Telephone (_____)__________________________________________________________

Fax

(_____)_________________________________________________________

Email ________________________________________________________________

Web site
________________________________________________________________

Procurement Goals

FEDERAL PROCUREMENT FAIR
March 14, 2003 ? 8:30-11:30 AM
Capital Hilton Hotel
16th & K Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20036

You Are Cordially Invited
2nd Annual

Maryland Hispanic Business Legislative Reception

“Honoring Our Hispanic Legislative Leadership”
Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez
Delegate Victor Ramirez
Delegate Luiz Simmons
Senator Alex Mooney

Monday March 10, 2003 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Ways and Means Committee Room

The Lowe House Building, Maryland House of Delegates, Annapolis, Maryland

84 College Avenue - Annapolis, Maryland 21401-1991

for directions please visit our web site at http://www.mdhcc.net/

Light Fare and Music.

Program
6:00 pm Welcome
6:15 pm Introduction of Special Guests

Ana Sol Gutierrez, Delegate, Montgomery County

Victor Ramirez, Delegate, Prince George’s County

Alex Mooney, Senator, Frederick County

Luiz Simmons, Delegate, Montgomery County

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Networking, Food, Music

Your Hosts for the Evening

Anne Arundel County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Business Association
Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County

Chamber of Commerce ColomboAmerican de Washington DC Howard County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Eastern Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Harford County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Prince George’s County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Western Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

RSVP: (410) 558-3515

ask for Candelaria, MDHCC

or e-mail: luis@thesignmaninc.com or gguzman@mdhcc.net