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Montgomery County pushes for Matricula Consular
IDs
Montgomery County announced its program
of Matricula Consular IDs on May 28 at the Bank of America
in Takoma Park. County councilmember Tom Perez, at the podium,
is flanked by Elizabeth Davison, director of Housing and Community
Affairs; County Executive Doug Duncan; and Bill Couper, president,
Bank of America, Greater Washington area.
A small step taken on May
28 promises to be a giant leap for the Hispanic community
in Montgomery County.
About 100,000 Hispanics live in the county. Many lack official
identification in English, which creates a cascade of problems
in everyday life—cashing checks, opening bank accounts,
renting or buying housing, buying cars.
"It's a terrible problem," says director of the
department of housing and community affairs Elizabeth Davison,
about the lack of identification for many Hispanics. "It
causes crime and homelessness and drives hardworking immigrants
deeper into poverty. You can't rent an apartment without a
credit rating. People buying a car may be charged 24 percent
interest, and may have to buy a life insurance policy to buy
a car."
County Executive Doug Duncan held a press conference to announce
the first pieces in place that solve this puzzle: The consulates
of Mexico and Guatemala have developed and issued "Matricula
Consular" ID cards, and the Bank of America has agreed
to accept them as valid identification for opening accounts.
Duncan is urging other Hispanic consulates and local financial
institutions to participate in the program.
Edgardo Flores Rivas, general consul of the embassy of Mexico,
displayed a sample Matricula Consular, and explained the visible
and invisible security measures in its design. Flores Rivas
spoke out strongly for Hispanics' "right to identity,"
and said the ID system will have economic, security and humanitarian
benefits.
"A bank account is a basic building block for self-sufficiency,"
said County Council member Tom Perez. "Banks can do good
and do well at the same time" by accepting the Matricula
Consular IDs.
—photo and text by Julie Wiatt
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