Originally Posted by
alexb133
I understand what your saying - on paper (legally), the cards issued are legitimate.They basically found a loophole in the Vienna Conventions the same way that tax evaders find loopholes to avoid paying taxes.
Exactly.
Originally Posted by
alexb133
I'm sure though, that unofficially, both within the Mexican government and the general public, these cards are issued to facilitate their citizen's day-to-day life while living undocumented in the country of question.
Exactly.
Originally Posted by
alexb133
Unlawfully present immigrants are entitled to consular services and protection, and nobody is going to deny them that right, but that doesn't require "the issuance of an ID document". A simple registration and acknowledgement from the consulate is sufficient.
Right, but they chose to exploit this loophole (as you said above).
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
They only issue those cards in Mexico, as I understand it, but perhaps their consulate offices issue them as well.
I believe you are mistaken; they certainly issue the card at consulates in the USA. Because there is no purpose to the card in Mexico, I'm not sure if they even issue them there (the card is for Mexican nationals
living abroad). I believe they only issue the cards abroad.
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
As to why someone would get one, it should be obvious. They either live in the US illegally, or plan to do so, and need/want a document to be able to open a bank account, rent an apartment, etc, and then come across the border illegally, as so many thousands do each year.
That's why most get the card, yes.
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
As of May 2011 - a handful of months ago - Durham, NC, was moving forward to accept this identification as valid, thus, it would enable people who had it to get a drivers license. I didn't keep up with it, and am not sure if this was passed into law.
I don't really follow your logic here. Issuing a DL is something the state does; how would a
city council resolution change
state law? What the Durham city council did was vote in favor of allowing the police to accept this card as proof of identification (not especially wise, but their choice). That is a far cry from being able to use it to get a DL.
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
Sorry, missed this somehow: they are NOT issued for any legitimate diplomatic reason. They are issued so their citizens can illegally live in and get service in a foreign country.
Why they are issued (officially) and why they are issued (in reality) are two different inquiries; your paragraph above addresses the latter.
Originally Posted by
SATTSO
They should never be accepted, by any institution, based upon the following FBI testimony to Congress in 2003:
http://www2.fbi.gov/congress/congres...craw062603.htm
This is the most worrisome, to me, from the testimony; quote: "Fourth, in some locations, when an individual seeking a Matricula Consular is unable to produce any documents whatsoever, he will still be issued a Matricula Consular by the Mexican consular official, if he fills out a questionnaire and satisfies the official that he is who he purports to be."
In other words, if you can lie fairly well, then you get a Matricula Consular Card.
Of course they shouldn't be accepted by anyone, but that doesn't make accepting the card illegal not does it make the issuance of the card illegal.
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Back on topic, is presentation of a Matricula Consular to the TDC an automatic referral to ICE?