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June 05, 2010
Mexico Opens California Office to Provide ID For Illegals
Mexico opens California office to provide ID for illegals
By: Sara A. Carter
National Security Correspondent
The Mexican government is opening a satellite consular office on Catalina Island -- a small resort off the California coast with a history of drug smuggling and human trafficking -- to provide the island's illegal Mexican immigrants with identification cards, The Washington Examiner has learned.
The Mexican consular office in Los Angeles issued a flier, a copy of which was obtained by The Examiner, listing the Catalina Island Country Club as the location of its satellite office. It invites Mexicans to visit the office to obtain the identification, called matricular cards, by appointment.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican whose district includes Catalina Island, said handing out matricular cards will exacerbate an already dangerous situation.
"Handing out matricular cards to Mexicans who are not in this country legally is wrong no matter where it's done," he said. "But on Catalina it will do more damage. It's a small island but there's evidence it's being used as a portal for illegals to access mainland California."
Rohrabacher added, "If there were a large number of Americans illegally in Mexico and the U.S. consulate was making it easier for them to stay, Mexico would never permit it."
Mexican officials with the consular office in Los Angeles could not be reached immediately for comment. The matricular consular identification card, is issued by the Mexican government to Mexican nationals residing outside the country, regardless of immigration status. The purpose is to provide identification for opening bank accounts and obtaining other services. But the cards are usually used to skirt U.S. immigration laws, since Mexicans in the country legally have documents proving that status, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.
Officers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said their agency was asked by Mexican officials not to enforce U.S. immigration laws on the island while the cards were being issued.
"It amazes me every time that the Mexican government has the gall to tell us what to do," said an ICE official, who asked not to be named. "More surprisingly is how many times we stand by and let them. This is just an example of one of hundreds of requests we've had to deal with."
In April, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies seized a boat carrying large quantities of marijuana and detained three Mexican nationals who said they were being smuggled into the United States.
The island has a sizable Mexican migrant population. Most are undocumented low-income workers.
1:15pm UPDATE:
Mexican government officials have moved their satellite consular office from the Catalina Island Country Club to a Catholic Church – citing protection under the Geneva Convention
Mexican government officials have moved their satellite consular office from the Catalina Island Country Club to a Catholic Church – citing protection under the Vienna Convention - after it was discovered that they did not have the appropriate paperwork to issue the island’s illegal immigrants identification cards.
Since The Washington Examiner reported that the management of the club, on the island of Catalina, discovered that the event was not a multi-cultural celebration as they had been told and refused to allow the Mexican government to set up shop
The Mexican officials will provide "matricular" card services to Mexican nationals at St. Catherine’s Church, on the island.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican whose district includes Catalina Island, is heading to the island by helicopter today to confront the officials.
“If the Catholic Church insists on preventing immigration law from being enforced, then they should step up and pay the bill. Let the Catholic Church open up its schools for free and use their vast resources to pay for the benefits of illegals if they feel it’s such a moral issue,” Rep. Rohrabacher told The Examiner. “I don’t exactly see Cardinal Mahoney announcing the sale of catholic church property to pay the bills for illegal immigration. This holier than thou hypocrisy has got to stop.”
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Wild Thing's comment........
I had NO idea Catalina had become such a problem regarding illegals. Hadn’t even dreamt of it. This is quite a surprise to me. Catalina Island was so beautiful. This is the same Santa Catalina Island from the famous in song......
Twenty six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance
They have to make an appointment to get the cards.......perfect time for ICE to be there to greet them......IF ONLY!
This is further proof the US government doesn’t have the the peoples’ interest at heart.
I'M SO SICK OF THIS CRAP! (yes, I'm yelling on purpose and no, I don't feel any better)
Obviously our American Sovereignty no longer exists or at least counts for anything. Obama and Governor Schwarzenegger have achieved their goals of open borders.
Officers with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said their agency was asked by Mexican officials not to enforce U.S. immigration laws on the island while the cards were being issued.
WTH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Since when do we DO what Mexico TELLS us to do concerning ILLEGAL ALIENS on AMERICAN SOIL?!?!?!?!??!?! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!?!?!?!?!?!
If the Catholic Church insists on preventing immigration law from being enforced, then they should step up and pay the bill.
DITTO that!!!!!!
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at June 5, 2010 06:55 AM
Comments
We are either a nation of laws or we are not. Selecitve law enforcement does not work. Obama and Schwarznegger should be charged with Malfeasaance in office for failing to enforce the existing laws. Also how dare the INS/ICE NOT enforce the law and to be asked by Mexico not to do their jobs. This is crazy. If ICE doesn't enforce the law then they are as guilty as obama and his austrian look-a-like.
And since when does the Mexican Government decide where they are going to set up office, in OUR country. This whole thing is BS. And I will bet orchestrated by ocrapo.
Posted by: Mark at June 5, 2010 09:58 AM
Obama´s World In Graphics!!!
http://astuteblogger.blogspot.com/2010/05/photo-report-boycott-arizona-crowd.html
Posted by: Anon at June 5, 2010 09:12 PM
