Culberson aims amendment at illegal immigrants

Bank accounts, Social Security would be affected

By EDWARD HEGSTROM Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle, July 15, 2004

Congressman John Culberson, R-Houston, introduced an amendment Thursday designed to prevent millions of illegal immigrants from opening bank accounts and accessing Social Security payments.

Culberson's amendment to an appropriations bill was approved Thursday by the House Appropriations subcommittee. It now goes before the full committee.

The bill would make it more difficult for immigrants to use foreign documents, such as the matricula consular issued by the Mexican government, to open bank accounts. Hundreds of banks across the country currently accept the matricula as the primary document to open checking accounts, allowing illegal immigrants access to banks.

"I'm plugging a dangerous hole in our nation's security," Culberson said Thursday evening. Culberson said federal prosecutors have told him that "special interest aliens from Middle Eastern or Muslim countries" have crossed illegally into Texas using false Hispanic names. He predicted that a matricula consular might be used in the next terrorist attack.

Culberson also cited Social Security as a crucial component. The United States and Mexico recently signed an agreement that Culberson says could allow illegal immigrants access to Social Security payments. He said his amendment would prevent that.

"We cannot permit illegal aliens into the Social Security system," he said.

Representatives of the Mexican consulate in Houston would not comment Thursday. But immigrant-rights activists criticized the amendment.

"The banking industry welcomes the use of the matricula because they recognize that immigrants are contributing to the economy," said Ben Monterroso, a Los Angeles-based representative of the Service Employees International Union. "What (Culberson) wants to do is keep immigrants in the shadows."

The Treasury Department last year affirmed a previous policy allowing banks to accept the matricula as identification. Culberson's bill would prevent federal funding for policies that support the use of foreign documents like the matricula.

The congressman admitted that he was not sure if the bill would have any immediate impact on banks that already accept the matricula. But he said he hopes to pressure the treasury department to rescind its existing policy