Skip to main navigation
Home
  • About
    • About FAIR
      • Mission, Vision, Values
      • Our Impact
      • Career Opportunities
      • Contact Us
      • Financials
    • Meet The Team
      • Meet the President
      • FAIR Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Immigration Reform Law Institute
  • Learn
    • Key Issues
      • Illegal Immigration
      • Border Security
      • Sanctuary Policies
    • All Topics
      • Amnesty
      • Legal Immigration
      • National Security
      • Publications & Resources
      • Public Policy
      • Societal Impact
      • Workforce & Economy
      • Population & Environment
  • News
    • FAIR Take
      • Presidential Administration
      • Federal Legislation
      • State & Local Policy
    • FAIR Media
      • Blog
      • Videos
      • Podcasts
      • Newsletters
      • Published Opinion
      • Press Releases
    • Recent News
      border wall, road barricade
      February 11, 2022

      Handful of House Republicans Unveil a New Amnesty Bill

      USCIS
      February 11, 2022

      New USCIS Mission Statement Shows that its Leadership Misunderstands the Assignment

  • Blog
  • Get Involved
    • Take Action
      • Activist Resources
      • How to Report Illegal Aliens
      • Join Our Activist Network
    • Give
      • Donate
      • Planned Giving
      • Other Ways to Support FAIR
  • Contact
    • Contact
      • Career Opportunities
      • Contact Us
    • Pressroom
      • Media Inquiries
      • Past Appearances
      • Press Kits
      • Our Spokespeople
  • Donate
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
Text Resize
  • 100%
  • LG
  • XL
  • XXL
Menu

Breadcrumb

  1. Federation for American Immigration Reform
  2. Learn
  3. Key Issues
  4. Illegal Immigration
  5. Consular ID Cards

Consular ID Cards

Consular ID Cards

November 2016


What are Consular ID cards?

Consular ID cards are identification cards issued by the consulate offices of foreign governments. Their main purpose is to give expatriated nationals identification to use in foreign countries. It is widely accepted that these cards are primarily used in the U.S. by illegal aliens, as foreign nationals who are lawfully present have the ability to use other forms of identification, most notably a passport. Conversely, illegal aliens rely on consular ID cards for activities such as opening a bank account, or obtaining a state driver’s license or other form of local ID for municipal services or law enforcement purposes. The FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice have previously concluded that consular ID cards are unreliable forms of ID, as they are vulnerable fraud. The most common form of consular ID card used in the U.S. is Mexico’s Matricula Consular, also called the Matricula Consular de Alto Seguridad (MCAS). MCAS is a document issued by the Mexican government’s consulate offices to anyone with a Mexican birth certificate.

Why is accepting consular cards as valid forms of identification bad policy?

ACCEPTING CONSULAR CARDS FACILITATES IDENTITY FRAUD.

Accepting consular cards as a valid form of identification makes it easy for illegal aliens to commit identity theft and fraud. Consular cards do little to identify residents as they are difficult to verify and the general public lacks basic familiarity with and knowledge of the cards. They may also be easily obtained through fraud, as many of the underlying documents used to attain them are unsecure. As such, consular cards do not meet minimum security standards necessary for use where identification is required by federal, state and local authorities.

ACCEPTING CONSULAR CARDS OBSTRUCTS IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.

Accepting consular cards as ID allows illegal aliens to continue to evade immigration enforcement by providing them documentation to produce to law enforcement officers. When encountering an illegal alien with a consular card, local law enforcement are discouraged from contacting federal immigration authorities to verify the identity and immigration status of the alien, thus preventing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from initiating enforcement actions against potentially deportable aliens.

ACCEPTING CONSULAR CARDS THREATENS PUBLIC SAFETY.

Because accepting consular cards as ID allows illegal aliens to evade detection, it inevitably leads to more criminal aliens being allowed to remain on our streets. In 2016, ICE estimates that approximately 2.1 million criminal aliens are living in the U.S., over 1.9 million of which are removable. Acceptance of consular cards provides criminal aliens who encounter law enforcement a shield to continue to reside in the country and commit additional crimes, creating more victims and putting all Americans at risk.

ACCEPTING CONSULAR CARDS ENCOURAGES ADDITIONAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

Accepting consular cards as ID makes it easier for illegal aliens to live and work in the U.S. With more than 11 million illegal aliens already in the country, states all around the U.S. are subject to the problems caused by unchecked illegal immigration. American families are increasingly bearing the costs of increased crime, overburdened healthcare systems, overwhelmed public schools, and depleted public benefits and services. FAIR estimates that the annual fiscal cost of illegal immigration to U.S. taxpayers – after accounting for taxes received from illegal aliens – is roughly $113 billion.

Related Content

Massachusetts driver's license ballot
June 24, 2022

Massachusetts Ballot Petition Aims to Stop Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens

Virginia Governor Youngkin black student education
June 24, 2022

In Virginia, Gov. Youngkin’s Budget Helps Black American Students At The Expense of Illegal Aliens

Mexico U.S. border globe map gulf
June 21, 2022

Northern Mexico State Steps Up to Turn Back U.S.-Bound Migrants

Immigration Term

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines a MSA as a core area with at least 50,000 residents and bordering communities which are socially and economically integrated with the central city. Larger metropolitan areas are termed Primary MSAs, or PMSAs. Metropolitan areas made up of more than one PMSA and with with one million or more residents may be recognized as Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSAs). The county-based alternative for the New England states is known as New England County Metropolitan Areas (NECMAs).

Tweets

June 29, 2022 | 4:20PM

Texas tractor-trailer migrant deaths: Two Mexican nationals living in US illegally hit with weapons charges https://t.co/Ds4GtRD2Da

@FAIRImmigration
June 29, 2022 | 3:00PM

By failing to secure the border, the Biden administration is making everyone less safe. https://t.co/aCkLObVyqc

@FAIRImmigration

© Copyright 2022 Federation for American Immigration Reform, All Rights Reserved
25 Massachusetts Ave. NW Ste. 330, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 328-7004   Fax: 202.387.3447

 

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Footer

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • About
    • About FAIR
      • Mission, Vision, Values
      • Our Impact
      • Career Opportunities
      • Contact Us
      • Financials
    • Meet The Team
      • Meet the President
      • FAIR Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Immigration Reform Law Institute
  • Learn
    • Key Issues
      • Illegal Immigration
      • Border Security
      • Sanctuary Policies
    • All Topics
      • Amnesty
      • Legal Immigration
      • National Security
      • Publications & Resources
      • Public Policy
      • Societal Impact
      • Workforce & Economy
      • Population & Environment
  • News
    • FAIR Take
      • Presidential Administration
      • Federal Legislation
      • State & Local Policy
    • FAIR Media
      • Blog
      • Videos
      • Podcasts
      • Newsletters
      • Published Opinion
      • Press Releases
    • Recent News
  • Blog
  • Get Involved
    • Take Action
      • Activist Resources
      • How to Report Illegal Aliens
      • Join Our Activist Network
    • Give
      • Donate
      • Planned Giving
      • Other Ways to Support FAIR
  • Contact
    • Contact
      • Career Opportunities
      • Contact Us
    • Pressroom
      • Media Inquiries
      • Past Appearances
      • Press Kits
      • Our Spokespeople
  • Donate