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Letter of support for Colorado HB-1224 from former Governor Dick Lamm
February 6, 2003
Dear Legislators and fellow Coloradans:
I would like you to support HB-1224, the "Secure and Verifiable Identity Document Act", which would prevent a public entity from accepting an identification document unless the document is secure and verifiable. This is important legislation for our national and state security. It deserves to be passed.
This legislation is in response to the ever-increasing acceptance of the Mexican matricula consular card by public entities. Since only illegal aliens have need of matricula consular cards, it would seem these forms of identification are doing a disservice to American immigration policies and law. There is already a wonderful form of identification of all foreign nationals. It is called a passport. September 11th should have taught us the necessity of recognizing immigration policy as a national security issue.
I also raise the following points (excerpted from the enclosed Center for Immigration Studies Backgrounder):
- Not only does the matricula subvert US immigration law, it is not even a secure identity document. Mexico is not authenticating the documents used to obtain the matricula against computerized data files in Mexico.
- Safeguards are not in place to prevent issuance of matriculas to the
same individual; the INS has already reported finding multiple cards in
different names issued to the same person.
- The matricula is becoming a shield that hides criminal activity, for two reasons: First, the holder's identity is not verified when the card is issued and second, police in jurisdictions that accept the matricula are less likely to run background checks on card holders picked up for minor infractions.
- The acceptance of Mexico's matricula consular sets a precedent, making it almost impossible to reject similar cards presented by illegal aliens from other countries, including those which have sent terrorists to the United States in the past.
- Guatemala has begun issuing similar cards. Honduras, Poland and Peru are seriously considering their own version of the matricula as well.
More importantly, I know personally how easy it is to get fake identification. The acceptance of this card encourages practices that would easily allow terrorists to enter this country. We have no way to distinguish between those people who come into our country illegally to work or to harm us -- to mow our lawns or to mow down our buildings. I believe that practices like these supposed forms of identification are putting our national and state security at risk.
I urge your support of HB-1224.
Yours very truly,
Richard D. Lamm
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