Bank of America Corp. has quietly begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers — typically illegal immigrants.
The Wall Street Journal [subscription] is reporting:
In recent years, banks across the country have begun offering checking accounts and, in some cases, mortgages to the nation’s fast-growing ranks of undocumented immigrants, most of whom are Hispanic. But these immigrants generally haven’t been able to get major credit cards, making it hard for them to develop a credit history and expand their purchasing power.
The new Bank of America program is open to people who lack both a Social Security number and a credit history, as long as they have held a checking account with the bank for three months without an overdraft. Most adults in the U.S. who don’t have a Social Security number are undocumented immigrants.
The credit cards involved aren’t cheap. They come with a high interest rate and an upfront fee. And the idea of catering to illegal immigrants is controversial.
Bank of America defends the program, saying it complies with U.S. banking and antiterrorism laws. Company executives say that the initiative isn’t about politics, but rather about meeting the needs of an untapped group of potential customers.
“These people are coming here for quality of life, and they deserve somebody to give them a chance to achieve that quality of life,” says Brian Tuite, the bank’s director of Latin America card operations and one of the architects of the program.
Critics say Bank of America is knowingly making a product available to people who are violating U.S. immigration law. “They are clearly crossing the line; they are actually aiding and abetting people who broke the law,” says Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that advocates a crackdown on illegal immigration.
Typical of the new card’s customers is Antonio Sanchez, a Mexican immigrant whose only major asset is a white 1996 Ford Thunderbird, which he drives to the two restaurants where he works each day on opposite sides of Los Angeles. Mr. Sanchez, who says he sneaked across the border a decade ago, has been a customer of Bank of America’s East Hollywood branch for nine years. He has no borrowing history and no Social Security number.
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said banking products aimed at illegal immigrants “reinforce the need for a temporary worker program” that the Bush administration has been promoting. That program would screen, tax and otherwise regulate immigrant workers and, the administration contends, would squeeze out illegal workers who now use forged or stolen documents to get jobs, driver’s licenses and occasionally credit.
Anti-money-laundering regulations passed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks put more pressure on banks to verify customers’ identity and watch for suspicious transactions, but they don’t require banks to ascertain whether account holders are in the U.S. legally. Most banks require a Social Security number or ITIN to open an account, but regulations also allow them to accept other government-issued forms of identification in some instances, including passport numbers, alien identification numbers or any government-issued document with photo showing nationality or place of residence.
A handful of retailers, such as Los Angeles’s closely held La Curacao department store chain, have boosted their business by cultivating illegal immigrants with store credit cards. “Once you capture them, they become very loyal,” says Ron Azarkman, chief executive of La Curacao, which has developed its own in-house credit-ratings system. “This is a promising market, as long as it is carefully managed,” he says, adding that the average APR charged by his company is 22.9%.
Bank of America hasn’t launched an ad campaign for the new card. For the time being, it is counting on word of mouth that starts with its employees at each banking center. Many of the Spanish-speaking account holders who come to teller Luz Quintanilla’s window at Bank of America’s East Hollywood branch, already have a Social Security number and regular credit card with the bank. But she suggests in Spanish that “maybe you have family or friends who don’t have a Social Security number, but wish to build their credit.”
In selling the card, a major challenge is to persuade immigrants who are sometimes wary of plastic that holding a credit card is an important step on the way to obtaining loans for big-ticket items, such as a car or even a home. Pictures of a check book, credit card, car and house in ascending order illustrate this concept in one pamphlet in Spanish and English titled “How to Build Your Credit, Step by Step.”
It’s no wonder I called my cell phone company and found myself stuck in a Spanish speaking cue on the menu, had to hang up and start over. The new market is “illegal immigrants”; if you are legal and speak English your going to find an obstacle course to customer service in English.
Bank of America sees a “need” to build business but to do so supports the notion it’s ok to be in the United States illegally. Bank of America is conducting its own amnesty program for illegal aliens. Offering high interest rates for low-income workers will most likely set those people up for failure, not credit worthiness to buy houses and cars.
Credit Card Program to Stay – UPDATE HERE
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February 13th, 2007 at 10:52 am
[...] Credit Cards for Illegal Immigrants – Bank of America an Oxymoron from Liberally Conservative [...]
February 13th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Money, Meth and Murder…
**COALITION AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION**…
February 13th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Credit cards and mortgages to illegal aliens…
The Bank of America has now decided to promote credit cards for illegal aliens. No social security card required. In recent years, banks across the country have begun offering checking accounts and, in some cases, mortgages to the nation’s fast-growin…
February 13th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Boohoo for Robert Braun. No sympathy here…
…
February 13th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
[...] Credit Cards for Illegal Immigrants – Bank of America an Oxymoron Cross Posted From Liberally Conservative [...]
February 13th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Credit Cards for Illegal Immigrants – Bank of America an Oxymoron…
Cross posted from Liberally Comservative
Bank of America Corp. has quietly begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers — typically illegal immigrants.
The Wall Street Journal [subscription] is reporting:
In recent ye…
February 14th, 2007 at 10:04 am
After ten years i will be leaving BOA.If there are active groups I will Like know.
February 14th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
[...] Bank of America offering credit cards to illegal aliens accentuates the language problem. An English to citizenship law that is enforced should also strongly encourage companies and government agencies to require English and citizenship to obtain services. Knowing a common language would aid in the process of assimilating into the United States culturally and not disenfranchise immigrants the way critics claim. [...]
February 19th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Where has good commom sense gone to in this country? Why are people that aren’t willing to EARN citizenship being given the ability to obtain what we as citizens have had to work for? Is this country so eaten up with greed that we’re willing to sell out our own people & our nation’s security for profit? I notified BoA that I’m closing my long standing business account & credit card because of this policy. I had him put it in writing to be sent to corporate-he said they’ve received MANY complaints-they need to hear from us all!! When does it stop? Why do we have border policies when we entise illegial actions-we’re financing Mexico (BoA sends money from illegial immegrants back to relatives in MEXICO for FREE!!).
What banks still have a moral backbone & don’t have this policy? If that bank tells the country, their new customer base (including me)will shoot through the roof!! Where can we go with OUR MONEY?
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I encourage every BOA account holder to
personally confront their branch manager with their
decission to remove funds and why.BOA is selling out
america. They are doing this AFTER 9/11,they know that
illegals and terrorists cross the boarder daily and are making
it easier for them to set up shop here. Just becsuse
theyve found a legal loophole, dosent make it right.
Im canvassing my area banks to see which one will
come out with a written response to this kind of action
otherwise I could be moving again soon! We need prayer and
we need real Americans…not in name only.
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:43 pm
[...] We originally reported on BOA here. [...]
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Again today the TV news media spoke about BA in regard to their offering illegal people credit cards….especially in California. Some of the news people said it was not only bad ethics, but an errogant decision on the CEO’s part to continue with this. It’s enabling criminal behavior, aiding and abeting terrorists, human trafficers, and drug smugglers. It’s said to be the same as loan sharking with higher interest rates attached to the credit cards. BA seems to have circumvented the laws by finding or creating a loop hole in the US laws to make illegals legal. It’s going to take Americans to ban together to stand up and fight against this. BA is not the only bank planning on doing this; Wells Fargo and Chase, to name a few. I am going to find out who is NOT going to do this and change my accounts to them. I am sorry that I have an account held at BA.
Kenneth D. Lewis is the Chairman and CEO of BA. One of his quotes labeled ‘Our Commitment To Self Sufficiency’….
“We’ve all got to do our part to help Americans understand that they have the power to determine their financial future” !!!!
Now isn’t that a mouthful.
February 24th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
What is wrong with you people? How does this hurt you? And i’m sorry but the large majority of illegal immigrants are not terrorists or drug smugglers they come here and work 100 times harder than any american is willing to. And to “Kellyjazzgirl” How exactly did you EARN your american citizenship? By having the good fortune to be born here— congratulations that must have been very difficult for you. How long is it going to take people to realize that everyone (be they from america or mexico or canada or iraq or anyone else) deserves the things that we take for granted everyday not because they are citizens of a certain country but because their people? What makes you or I any better than them? The world all over is in a sad state when people will sit at home posting angry letters about stupid things while our children are in iraq killing and being killed by other people’s children
February 25th, 2007 at 10:37 am
You miss the whole point of the process of “Illegal Immigration.” What don’t you understand about the word ILLEGAL? Is it alright to break the laws of the United States? Is it alright to provide amnesty to people who have broken laws when other law breakers go to jail and pay fines?
For myself, my citizenship is a birthright, which came from being born of an immgrant Father and a mother of immigrant parents who came to the United States legally, learned English and followed the laws of the United States, a country they assimilated into.
What don’t you understand?
February 25th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Beth says:”…the large majority of illegal immigrants are not terrorists or drug smugglers they come here and work…”
I noticed that you used the word “illegal” but you do not seem to know what it means. Illegal aliens are knowingly breaking our laws and then expect to be forgiven and have citizenship bestowed upon them for their actions. In the mean time we have criminal corportaions cashing in by aiding and abetting criminal activity. This is tantamount to a criminal conspiracy. We have citizens (you are a citizens, aren’t you Beth?) who give all this criminal activity a passing wink and a nod, also aiding and abetting.
The USA is in serious need of a house cleaning.
February 25th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I certainly agree with you that America needs some “house cleaning”. It’s citizens apparently have no ability to prioritize. You’ll take your money out of a bank because they will do business with illegal immigrants yet you continue to elect a president who will send our children to fight and die in a meaningless war. You’ll spend your time and money to combat trivial things like this while it could be better spent fighting some of the actual issues at hand, not that there are many or anything—just aids, hunger, wars, poverty, disease, drought, murder, cancer, heart disease. ect,ect.
February 25th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Oh now the plot thickens. Beth has laid her cards on the table and she’s stuck on Liberal.
Condemn us for fighting against ILLEGAL immigrants and for supporting our troops and
the war in Iraq and terror.
She wants us to clean up the worlds problems by “prioritizing” but will support people
who don’t bother to get a legal entrance into a sovereign nation. How pathetic is that
reasoning.
It’s not even logical reasoning but Liberal whining with mixed up priorities. It appears we should be
spending more money on mental illness issues to clean out the Liberals who support a welfare state for
anyone.
February 25th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
I have not said that I do not support the men and women who fight in Iraq, they do so out of a sense of duty to a country that unfortunately does not value their lives as much as it does the president’s own motivations. War on terror? The people of Iraq, by whom I mean the majority of its citizens, are not terrorists and did nothing to the citizens of the United States. What right do we have to decide what’s best for them? I’d also love to know if you have any reasoning behind your assertion that my reason is not logical or if its just easier for you to say I’m “whining” than it is to actually take the time to consider what it is that I am saying. Also when did anyone say anything about a “welfare state”? The immigrants in question are not being GIVEN money. It is being loaned to them and they are required to pay it the same as anyone else. For the majority of these people its not a matter of “not bothering” to get a legal entrance into the country, its that they are being denied entrance and have no other way to achieve the quality of life that you and I take for granted. Forgiveme for believing that all people deserve the things that I have, and for believing that any war is meaningless. Who suffers during a war, on both sides? Is it the handful of terrorists, is it the politicians, the dictators, or any of the other people we claim we are fighting? Or is it everyday citizens only trying to do what they believe is right? If my logic is faulty, please show me the logic in death and destruction. Tell me what this war will accomplish if won and if in your opinion it would be worth sending your children to die and to kill for.
February 26th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Ahhhhhhh, Blame America First, that’s the Liberal mantra.
We are in Iraq, after toppling the Butcher of Baghdad, his sons and relieving the Iraq majority
from the illicit torture chambers and rape rooms. Yes, things have gone bad with Sunni vs. Sunni
and Sunni vs. Shia killing innocents.
You somehow don’t believe Iran is a terrorist state and they are not making IED’s, supplying
weapons and infiltrating into Iraq. You do not believe al-Qaeda is in Iraq.
These are false assumptions on your part and you sound like network news or CNN. Yes, you argue
without all the facts, which is illogical.
Even 60 minutes had to show the good things happening in Iraq, largely ignored by the MSM.
A stable Iraq is a stable Middle East for the most part but impatience never won anything.
Fickleness and weak knees will only claim defeat and our military won’t trust anyone to fight
the war on the horizon, being plotted against Americans at this moment.
Back to Illegal aliens. Quit crying for the poor who don’t get in line, the legal process of
entering America. These people don’t pay taxes, burden our economy and many, many commit crimes
after they enter the United States. The jails are filled with post-illegal entry criminals from
Latin America.
We have every right to decide for them, it’s called law enforcement. You say the people in
question are being loaned money. Do you have to supply a credit card and proof of citizenship to
gain credit? It’ the law, why don’t you understand this?
This is the end of this thread, so comment in a new immigration post if you so desire. I can’t beat
a dead horse any longer. You too Liberal to get it.
February 26th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Beth — the cognizant word here is “illegal.”
I was shocked when our borders didn’t slam shut on 9/12. It’s not that
I think we can keep every single illegal immigrant out of our country,but we didn’t even try.
And, not only did we not close our borders after 3000 something American citizens were killed by IAl Quada
Al Quada terrorists, but a few months later, our immigration service awarded Mohammed Atta an extention
on his visa …
None of the above is very self respecting … but the MSM continues to not notice or not report
the word “illegal,” and our earstwhile politicians of both major parties continue on their
quest for the Holy Grail of the Hispanic vote.
Regarding the Bank of America credit cards, I think it’s just another way for illegal immigrants
to go into high interest credit card debt.
February 26th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Again an argument purely based on debasing my opinions and logic without providing any reasoning for your own. The people I was refering to when I said, “What right do we have to decide what’s best for them?” are the citizens of Iraq, not America, so it is not a simple matter of law enforcement as you put it. Also, I never attempted to say that Al-Queada was in Iraq, I simply pointed out that the majority of the population (who are the ones primarily affected by the war) are not terrorists. I have also never debated that the immigrants in question are entering the country illegally, but have there never in the history of this country been unfair laws? Or laws that have later been changed? And are there no circumstances in which the breaking of a law can be seen as justified? Are there not instances of people being aquitted in American courts, not because they did not commit the crime in question, but because the circumstances allowed that it should not be considered a crime in that particular instance? Nor am I as bent on defending them as attempting to point out the fact that there are more pressing issues at hand deserving of attention. How is it that people aren’t able to discriminate between problems of a trivial nature and those that actually threaten the lives of others? Although it is clearly easier for you to dismiss my opinion by saying I’m “too liberal” to understand what it is your trying to say than it is to actually consider an alternative to the mindset you are so obviously stuck in, I have noted all of your thoughts on the matter, actually taken the time to consider their validity, and only THEN do I disagree with you. Based on my own thought not that of a particular political viewpoint.
February 27th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
The next time someone (like the phone company) asks me for my SSN, I’m going to say, “No hable englis…” and see if they let me by with that one!
So, white, English speaking CITIZENS of this country (and legal immigrants) still have to submit a SSN to every cotton-picking company that wants it, or else they “can’t assist” us, but an illegal gets by, because of their “buying power?”
This seems like a pretty P*** poor business practice.
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Ok there must be some huge LAW FIRM willing to take on this crime against the people of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OUR LAW makers and the people that we should be able to trust have turned there backs on us in the name of MONEY and GREED. LISTEN PEOPLE they do not give a crap about us!! THEY give them self’s huge raises and thay raise our taxes and they can’t even uphold the LAW!!!!! that they were HIRED TO DO. LOOK around try going out to eat and see who’s cooking your food, look around and see who’s building our houses, look around and see who’s doing the landscaping in your city, do some research on the net and you will see that illegal aliens get our Social Security funds also and if you listen to the news these days you’ll here that our social security will be running out of money very soon. There are many AMERICANS that say why should I care, well that is what are law makers must think also, because they do not need need it but many AMERICANS will and its not like they are getting handouts, because we all have paid into it, for when we need it and what about our kids what about them they are going to have a very very hard time getting jobs and saving any money because ILLEGAL ALIENS WILL be doing most of our jobs because the law breaking companies will be using them to do our work because they save all around! cheap wages “CASH” no workers comp,no taxes , no health insurance and so on. So now what are the BANKS doing they want even more MONEY so they are now giving credit cards to ILLEGAL LAW BREAKING ALIENS THAT ARE BREAKING THE LAW EVERYDAY, WHILE YOU PAY ALL YOUR TAXES AND FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE United States Of AMERICA and do everything you can so your credit will stay good so the greedy banks will give you loans and so on, because if you break the law and are American you can’t get anything. So I say we all need to move our money out of the banks that give credit cards and other loans to ILLGAL AlIENS and let those banks get RICHER off the ILLEGAL LAW BREAKERS not the AMERICAN PEOPLE.
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Beth is from CANADA not the USA, go fig.
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:48 pm
First of all, what does anyone’s legal taxpayer status have to do with having a bank account!? I think everyone who has an opinion on this subject is way off anyway, since all non-American-Indians were ALL immigrants to this land at time. You have only recently decided that “legal” status on this land means white, born here, and have been here since, apparently, September 11, 2001. I am Choctaw Indian and even though I look like a Mexican, which is the very “illegal alien” you are all talking about, I have always been able to walk into either Bank of America or Wells Fargo and open an account without even being asked for my Social Security Number. A Social Security Number is only an indication of taxpayer status. That is almost irrelevant to being able to open a bank account, drive a car, (since there is also controversy over issuing “illegals” drivers’ licenses I thought I would mention that here as well) or get married. It would have been racism, also illegal under this country’s laws, for either Bank of America or Wells Fargo to have treated me any other way. You would rather have banks break the Equal Opport5unity laws and demand proof of legal US residence of anyone with brown skin who wants to open a bank account?! It seems to me this debate is really about RACISM.
As mentioned before, all you white people are immigrants to this land. You have only recently decided that the only ones not allowed are the ones with brown skin. The ones who were actually, here first.
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:30 pm
ChoctawIndian HMMMM WHAT EVER, I do not know what banks you go to BUT!!!! MOST BANKS ASK US WHITES and listen its people like you that will never let RACISM go!!!! ITS PEOPLE LIKE you that live off of POOR OLD ME, I’m a indian or I’m black and a LONG LONG TIME AGO you WHITES did some VERY VERY BAD THINGS and yes A LONG LONG time ago they did, but I’m sick of it getting JAMMED down our throats. If you are a real Legal American witch you are!! then why don’t you have a problem with people breaking the LAW ? Listen These GREEDY BANKS COULD CARE LESS if you are White,Indian,Black, or any color of the rainbow!! “THE BANKS ARE BREAKING THE LAW BY GIVING ANYTHING TO ILLEGAL PERSONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…. and I am not a RICH WHITE with everything, I’m just some BLUE Collar WORKER that hopes MY kids will have jobs after all our SO CALLED LAW MAKERS out source everyone of our jobs over sea’s.
March 8th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
This is the reason our country is so messed, because these people okay the situation. Pretty soon this
will Mexica instead of America!!!!!! Traders all of the Bank Of America Branches!!!!
March 29th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
bank of america KEY word bank of america not bank of illegal aliens!
October 6th, 2007 at 7:39 am
As an insider on several mettings in 2006, I witnessed several employees in meetings concerning “strict” policy and procedures regarding laundering money and terrorism. Even though they were told not to be apart of it and to direct suspicion to management,questionable business practices were accepted behavior. I’ve have seen plenty reckless conduct at the Bank of America, Camp Creek Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia Location.
I would stumble on bad business practices and I was soon know as “the problem” by F. McNeil,a Bank of America Employee when I found them. I really would love to tell more of what know to the public. I am just an e-mail away or closer.
JFC
February 18th, 2008 at 1:26 am
This is so strange: Homeland Security and the Patriot Act are in place to prevent terrorist from coming into the country, to prevent money laundering by terrorist. But now American banks are going to allow illegal immigrants to open a bank account without US ID or a social security number? Where is the logic in this? More hypocritical moves by president Bush.
February 18th, 2008 at 9:30 am
How does President Bush get blamed for actions by Bank of America?
Why is it always blame Bush?
Is the President of the United States expected to micro-manage America?
Give me a break!
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
OH Please some of these people on here make me sick!!!!
Do you people have a heart!?
what about the kids that came here with their parents , who grew up here speak english and have good education & go to college here.
Give some people a break your selfish!
everyone is an immigrant here
U.S.A is the Melting pot
stop crying. about all the illegals without them there would be no one to take care of all the bad jobs, that we need in this country,
all these people that are against immigrants just speak from their mouth without thinking about all the innocent children here.
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Pipe down. My father and grandparents were immigrants, learned English, assimilated and did well.
They went through Ellis Island and were legal. That’s the point.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:36 am
Came here from a search 1/17/09 don doing research for the Americo bailout this week. Arriba Americano Amigos. That Max character needs a head adjustment freaking bleeding heart. This el credito for illego’s is what bankrupted this sh**hole and now they want us to pay the bailout for these bums? Send the bill to Mexico I say I closed my accounts here back then, otherwise I;d sure be doiing it now/ Happy New Year man.
September 14th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
GOOD FOR BANK OF AMERICA, after all aren’t we all Immigrants to this country?
September 14th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Justin is misinformed. I was born in America!
December 27th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
My husband and I went today to Denny’s on the Westside Lancaster this morning. The busboy had very little English, I asked him did he know English he responded very very little. Our Mexican waitress stated they have maybe 3 english speaking only staff out of 30-35. Why is nothing being done, in fact you reading this are probably Spanish speaking so would not run it. Our country is in great jeopardy! Life as an American is no longer the way that it should be. Mexico, due to the illegal aliens getting all of our jobs and they reproduce like rabbits are taking over. You cannot even get a job in California and nearby states unless you speak Spanish. Is anyone going to stop or at least question and attempt to take back our heritage and all that has been fought for?
This is beyond a catastrophe but a incredible injustice to the American People that founded and started this great country and it appears there is no hope?
Kathryn Berry
Email: mammawsattic@yahoo.com
March 4th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
But Kathryn Berry, why should you have to speak English to live in America. America has no official language, so wouldn’t it make sense for people to speak the language they know, instead of being forced to learn another?
March 4th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Please, I quit going to Lowe’s because it’s all bilingual signs to find an aisle.
Unfortunately, corporations are encouraging not learning English. Katheryn is correct, we shouldn’t have to learn Spanish to communicate, it’s predicated from George Washington that English is, not by law, but by proclamation and common sense to be the language taught in schools and used by average citizens.
This isn’t the United Nations, it’s the United States of America. Assimilation means learning the common language and fitting in, not changing the rules because you don’t like them.