Frontera NorteSur June 2003

The matricula consular card, also known as the consular ID card, was first issued in 1871 by the Mexican government. Today, the matricula consular is evermore popular with Mexican citizens in the US because it gives holders an identity for the purpose of opening a bank account, getting a driver’s license or providing proof of identity to law enforcement. Due to the success of the Mexican document, Honduras Guatemala and El Salvador are pursuing the adoption of similar identity cards. However, the future of the matricula consular is in doubt as opposition to it grows from various sectors.

The issuance of the consular ID card 

To get a consular ID card, applicants must go to the Mexican consulate which covers their region of the US. There, applicants must present one of the following documents: an original birth certificate, a current Mexican passport or a military-service card (cartilla del S.M.N). A photo ID such as a driver’s license must also be shown. Finally, applicants must provide proof of residency in the US with the presentation of a bill (water, gas, phone, etc) in their name. Rent receipts and bills with a PO box number on them are not sufficient evidence for proof of residency. The matricula consular costs $28 and is valid for five years.

Document security

Much of the media attention focused on the ID card has revolved around the issue of how safe the card is from forgery and tampering. To upgrade the document’s security features, holograms and other incorporated designs have been added recently to the card. This security enhancement program began in March 2002, according to Representative Luis Gutierrez in testimony given to the House of Representatives on March 26, 2003.

United States authorities can also verify the identity of a cardholder by contacting the Mexican consulate where it was issued. In addition, each card carries the bearer’s signature and has a printed serial number on both sides.

Use of the matricula consular 

In states where the card is legal and accepted, Mexican citizens can use the card to do such things as “open a bank account, set up basic utilities, get rental housing, enter federal buildings, and enroll their children in local schools,” said Representative Luis Gutierrez during the matricula consular hearing on March 26, 2003. The card also allows truck drivers to cross the border for trade with US companies.  Currently, according to Rep. Gutierrez’s testimony, over 70 banks, 18 states and approximately 825 police departments across the US accept the consular ID card as an official document.

Politicians opposed to the card

Over the past year, the consular ID card has become quite controversial and is now getting front-page headlines in the US and Mexico. Part of this news coverage looks at  mounting pressure against the card by members of Congress, states lawmakers and anti-immigration groups. 

Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo is well known for voicing his opinion against the matricula consular. On May 21, 2003, at a Capitol Hill press conference, Tancredo, the Chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, declared, "Since only illegal aliens would need to carry such cards for identification purposes, or need them to open bank accounts, the regulations indicate the Treasury Department is out of step with the American people and AWOL in the battle to stem the epidemic of illegal immigration." 

Tancredo also declared at the Capitol Hill press conference that Treasury’s regulations in favor of the matricula consular, which took effect in May 2003, “send a dangerous message about immigration enforcement and appear indifferent to a potential threat to our national security.”  

Dan Stein, executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, was quoted in the May 23, 2003 World Daily News as saying that the consular ID card represents a “an insidious yet serious threat to US national security.”

Frank Gaffney,  president of the Security Policy Council, quoted in the same article as Stein, said that consular cards “and similar means of credentialing illegal immigrants . . . represent serious threats to US national security.”

Other groups believe that terrorists could use the consular ID card to open bank accounts such as those used by the terrorists who carried out the attacks of September 11, 2001.

FBI announcement

The FBI also has come to the conclusion that the matricula consular is not a trustworthy identification document. "The Department of Justice and the FBI have concluded that the matricula consular is not a reliable form of identification, due to the non-existence of any means of verifying the true identity of the cardholder,” according to Steve McCraw, assistant director of the FBI's Office of Intelligence, in front of a House subcommittee in late June 2003. McCraw also stated that, “In addition to being vulnerable to fraud, the matricula consular is also vulnerable to forgery. There have been several generations of the card; and even the newest version can be easily replicated, despite its security features."

Looking forward, the matricula consular is gaining wide acceptance in some states and cities while other states have banned it and more are considering doing the same. At this point, the future of the consular ID card appears to be uncertain.