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Georgia County Votes To Accept Mexican ID Cards |
| Sep 10, 2002 |
Ernesto Perez had been hurt by suggestions that DeKalb County commissioners should reject a proposal to recognize Mexican government citizenship cards as forms of identification.
So Perez, a 32-year-old Mexican immigrant who manages a restaurant in Decatur, was pleased that commissioners rejected critics' arguments about security concerns and voted 6-1 Tuesday to accept the cards as identification in DeKalb.
"The Mexican people are not terrorists," Perez said Tuesday as the nation prepared to observe the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Everybody is coming here to work hard."
Commissioner Elaine Boyer cast the dissenting vote against the measure. Boyer said DeKalb would "turn homeland security over to a foreign government" by recognizing the cards, called "matricula consular."
Other critics argue that the measure would give countless illegal immigrants access to government services.
But supporters said the cards will allow police to quickly identify Mexicans they encounter.
"It enhances public safety in ensuring that people can be properly identified," said Commissioner Burrell Ellis.
DeKalb is believed to be the first Georgia county to recognize the cards as forms of identification. County officials hope their move will encourage banks, apartment managers, and utility companies to also recognize the cards.
The commission's vote drew applause from about two-dozen supporters at the meeting. But critics said the county was interfering with federal policy.
"A terrorist could get in here with an ID card like this," said Suzanne Lancaster, a DeKalb resident who tried to convey her concerns to commissioners before Tuesday's meeting. "I think it's a way to let illegal aliens operate in this county."
Southeastern Legal Foundation President Philip Kent, another critic of the proposal, said DeKalb was opening itself to a lawsuit.
County officials and Mexico's consul general said the concerns were unwarranted, insisting the process of getting the cards is rigorous.
To get a card from the Mexican consulate, applicants must pay $29 and show a certified copy of their birth certificate, an official Mexican photo ID and proof of their U.S. address. Many Mexicans do not have the documents required to get a Georgia driver's license or state ID card.
U.S. census figures show there are about 275,000 Mexicans in Georgia.
The matricula consular cards are already accepted by some major banks, hundreds of law enforcement agencies and major cities with large Mexican populations such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
Some metro area governments also accept the cards for limited purposes. Forest Park accepts the cards for identification, and in Fulton County, immigrants can use the cards as identification for paying property taxes on items such as vehicles. |
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