Bill Introduced To Limit Banking For Non-Citizens

(AP)

A bill introduced earlier this month by U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., would require U.S. financial institutions to accept only U.S.-issued identification or foreign-issued passports, effectively banning the acceptance of Matricula cards. The American Bankers Association issued a statement opposing the bill.

When Bank of America said in February it was issuing credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers, the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank faced a firestorm of criticism, including some from a Minnesota group.

"This program rewards lawbreakers who have broken our immigration laws and, in addition, threatens our homeland security through possible use by terrorists," said Ruthie Hendrycks, founder of Hanska, Minn.-based Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform, which has lobbied for restrictions similar to those in Blackburn's bill.