Protest bogus matricula consular cards at Colorado Springs Sand Creek library (2006)
On February 11, 2006, the Consulate General of Mexico, held a "Mobile Consulate" event to issue its matricula consular ID card to Mexican nationals from the properties of the Sand Creek branch of the Pikes Peak Public Library, 1821 South Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs. CAIR, along with members of the Colorado Minutemen, protested at the Sand Creek Library branch.
In 2003, the Colorado State Legislature enacted HB-1124, the Colorado Secure and Verifiable Identity Document Act. Governor Owens signed that bill into law. The Act bans the use of the Consular ID, known as the matricula consular, and any IDs issued by other foreign government that are not "secure and verifiable” by standards set by the United States government. The Act applies to all of Colorado’s political subdivisions. While some practical, limited exceptions were expressed in the Act, it was the legislative intent of the Act that in most all matters the card was not to be accepted as valid identification.
The state legislature took the action it did in no small part because the Justice Department and the FBI had warned against accepting of the ID card as valid ID. Indeed, in 2003 an FBI assistant director of intelligence testified before a U.S. congressional committee that “…the [Consular ID] issued by the Mexican government is not a reliable form of identification, due to the nonexistence of any means of verifying the true identity of the card holder.”
Among the criminal uses the FBI expressed concern about were human smuggling and terrorist access. Only Mexican nationals residing illegally in the U.S. have a need for the card. According to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE), all foreign nationals residing legally in the U.S. possess U.S. government-issued documents (visas, “green cards” etc).
You should also know that the Mexican government, through many of its some 46 consular office in the U.S., has been involving itself in matters that are the exclusive prerogative of the citizens of the Untied states, often, we believe, in violation of Geneva Conventions which bar foreign consular offices from involvement in the domestic affairs of their host countries.
There is no law against the Mexican government issuing its bogus ID card in Colorado. It can do so from private property. However, using the taxpayers’ facilities to issue the card is an outrage.
