Matricula Consular

When we went to the Mexican Consulate in Austin, we couldn’t help but notice the large numbers of Mexicans there. They were all waiting in line, then they had their pictures taken. Later on, they were receiving documents. We asked Francisco Flores, the documentation official why there were so many people at the Consulate. He assured us that there were NOT a lot of people there that day. He said the big crowds come on rainy days when the construction workers, roofers and landscapers don’t work.
We found out that the people were lining up to receive a document called a matricula consular. It is, in effect, a Mexican national identification card. The cards are accepted as legal, official forms of identification in the US. That allows Mexicans to be able to get a lease and utilities in their names. Most importantly, it allows them to open a bank account. Previously someone wanting to open a bank account needed a drivers license or other form of official Texas ID.
Mr. Flores explained that the police department also accepted the cards as ID. He went on to say that the police are very happy with the system. Apparently in the past when Mexicans couldn’t open a bank account many of them carried all their money with them. Thieves knew this, of course, so they would target Mexicans around payday. The victims would be afraid to report the crimes as they were suspicious of police and other authorities, most likely fearing deportation. So what was happening is the same people were robbing the same victims week after week.
Since the ID cards have become accepted the crimes against Mexicans have been greatly reduced. Mr. Flores seemed quite pleased that his agency had been instrumental in making that happen.
As a side note, he also said he was very happy that the ID cards are now computer generated with digital pictures. What this meant for him was that he signed his signature one time and it was digitally reproduced on all the ID cards. Mr. Flores told us that when the cards were produced the old fashioned way he had to sign each card and that the final year of the old system he signed about 25,000 cards. Twenty five THOUSAND, that is about 100 a day, every day! Lots of signatures, and equally impressive, lots of Mexicans living in the Austin, Texas consulate area.
We were thinking as we left that someone needs to open a taco stand in the lobby of the building and maybe a juice stand as well.

Note - these cards are issued to Mexicans living in the US. Obviously, many of these people are illegally in the US, or they could get a drivers license, etc. This write-up is not meant to comment on the legal situation and should not be construed either way about my opinion or that of the Mexican Consulate as to the illegal immigrant issue.