By Lina Garcia
March 3, 2003

It all started with the Mexican government's decision to issue identification cards for Mexicans living abroad solely to protect their interests. The card was never meant to serve as an identification of an individual's migration status or to be used for U.S. business and government transactions.

However, overtime the matricula has become a form of identification accepted by many businesses and market forces in the U.S. and its use has some lawmakers up in arms. Currently, the bilingual card, issued by the Mexican government is recognized by more than 700 U.S. banks, 13 states and 30 municipalities.

Last month, Congressman Tom Tancredo (CO) and other members of a congressional "immigration reform" caucus introduced legislation that would ban official U.S. recognition of foreign-issued identity cards for the disbursement of federal services.

In order to obtain the card, applicants are required to present a valid, original copy of their birth certificate, a copy of their Mexican voter registration cards and proof of their local address, which are all printed on the card. Provided by 43 Mexican consulates in the U.S., the matricula consular is issued for $29 and can be used for multiple purposes including opening bank accounts, accessing utilities and receiving health care services. In the case of an accident or death, victims carrying the card can be easily identified.

Opponents of the card argue that the matricula is not secure or verifiable, fuels illegal immigration, and should not be accepted by businesses or the government. Some also argue that it could be a national security threat.

Advocates of the card feel that the matricula allows businesses and public agencies to know who they are dealing with and helps tax paying individuals receive basic needed services.

Other groups also believe that local governments should be left to make their own decisions on whether to use the IDs to grant basic city services to tax-paying residents.

So far, more than one million matricula consular cards were issued in the U.S. in 2002.