Bank of America, which has a branch next to the consulate, also uses the cards as identification to open up checking accounts, as well as to send money orders to Mexico. Arvest Bank, Metropolitan National Bank and Regions Bank all accept the cards as well.
At Twin City Bank, owned by Conway-based Home BancShares, officials hired an employee to coordinate its efforts to reach Hispanics. Workers translated brochures on its checking accounts and technicians added a Spanish-language option at ATMs.
The bank also applied to join the Federal Reserve's Automated Clearing House, a system allowing its branches to send money from clients to approved banks in Mexico, Hardcastle said. That's a service that could draw more Mexican customers to the bank, as extra money often finds it way back to families still living there. Mexico estimates it received $23.1 billion in U.S. remittances in 2006.
The bank also provides tax identification numbers to customers that don't have Social Security cards. Customers can use that number on an account as long as it doesn't earn interest, Hardcastle said.
"Obviously, a lot of Hispanics in our market don't have a Social Security number," she said. "We're trying to figure out ways to make it easier for that part of our community to be able to do business with us."
Since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, some law enforcement officials criticized the matricula consular program as providing identification without adequately checking a person's identity. Those opposing illegal immigration, including last year's failed Republican attorney general candidate Gunner DeLay, have said the cards only benefit illegal immigrants.
Hardcastle said the bank, which quietly rolled out its new programs, has not received any criticism for reaching out to Mexican immigrants.
"I think that to a great extent, people in Arkansas and across the country realize that the Hispanic market is an increasing part of our population," Hardcastle said. "We need to be able to communicate. If we could all speak Spanish and they could all speak English, it would be a beautiful world."
On the Net:
Home BancShares: http://www.homebancshares.com/
Mexican Consulate in Little Rock: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/littlerock/
Twin City Bank: http://www.twincitybank.net/
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our
Madison wrote on Aug 28, 2007 9:22 PM:
" I see we have more Hispandering going on here.No SS numbers,but they still get IDs and jobs!!$23.1 billion in U.S. remittances in 2006 sent to Mexico!!!This is ridiculous,and has got to stop!!!
"
Tspud wrote on Aug 28, 2007 9:42 PM:
" Just more on your knees to the ILLEGALS in hopes of making a buck. Just what do you think it costs you to educate, hospitalize, incarcerate & insure these same criminals? You can't make enough to offset what they are stealing! "
Madison wrote on Aug 28, 2007 9:50 PM:
" Tspud we both know that big business is the only ones making money here,and our elected officals want their votes.It's all comes down to money and power,and to h*** with the common citizens.Just how many of us can get by without a Social Security number?That's the first thing everybody wants to know is your Social Security number!! "
cybertech wrote on Aug 29, 2007 2:00 AM:
" Here is what I find funny about all this. If I go into a bank, any branch, without a SS card and try to open an account you now what they will tell me??? No SS, no account, and that is the way it should be. In fact if I am not mistaken when you become a US Citizen a SS number is required by law, for work, banking, and identification purposes. So those that are getting the Matricuala Consular cards that are residing here in the states are either to lazy to go get their SS card if they are naturalized citizens, or they are illegal immigrants, barring perhaps a few may be working through the process of naturalization. Now those that cater to illegals by the use of such a card, well it should be illegal cause after all they are consorting with and doing business with felons and that is a fact! Consul Andres Chao is also consorting with felons in many instances by the issuance of such a card to illegal immigrants, again it should be illegal to do so in the US! "
Madison wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:11 AM:
" I see we made Immigration Watchdog with this article. "
kris wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:41 AM:
" I'm so tired of having to pay for and cater to anyone who refuses to also pay taxes or learn our language. Those who cater are simply enabling them and it will never stop! "
Madison wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:55 AM:
" kris I agree,but these people refuse to assimilate to our ways,so these companies that want to make money off them will continue to cater to them.There's nothing right about it,and i'm afraid it's going to take some severe action by the citizens of this country to stop it. "
Deacon wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:38 AM:
" In the 60's we used to protest and boycot such places. And we as a mass did make a lot of difference on many issues. But times have change and most people either choose to ignore the problems or just don't want to be bothered. But ways to do things have changed also like each of us notifing groups such as NumbersUSA, Immigration Watchdog, American Patrol, etc and make them aware of the problem and have each of members close their accounts at the "Sanctuary Banks" and let those banks know exactly why we did transfer our accounts to another bank. This may not be the answer, but it's better than doing nothing! "
Madison wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:24 AM:
" Reconquista mobs rejoin, call for consumer boycott
After splintering over a year ago, two Los Angeles immigrant coalitions joined forces Tuesday while calling for a Sept. 12 consumer boycott in favor of immigration reform [aka amnesty]. -- The groups said they united after the Aug. 19 arrest and deportation of Elvira Arellano, who lived in a Chicago church for a year to avoid deportation....read the rest of this story on American Patrol. "
uafootball wrote on Aug 29, 2007 3:48 PM:
" One is not allowed to post a comment in Spanish? There are bilingual readers who speak and read perfect English and Spanish you know. "
sittin'duck wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:00 PM:
" uafootball wrote on Aug 29, 2007 3:48 PM:
" One is not allowed to post a comment in Spanish? There are bilingual readers who speak and read perfect English and Spanish you know. "--------
I guess not. LOL "
Deacon wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:03 PM:
" UAfootball..... There are many bi-lingual people who speak and read other languages, such as Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, etc. along with English. Maybe you can post your comments in some of these languages, so not to offend them also! "
gmason wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:21 PM:
" Get this; I had a Mexican person ask me at work if I spoke spanish. I said no and they said 'This is Springdale I can't believe you don't know spanish'! I proceeded to advise them that this was the United States of American and our national language was English and that they should learn it if they intended to live and work here. The reply was: 'Oh, so you are one of those'! Yes, I am 'one of those'!
Perhaps the name of Springdale should be changed to Mexidale. This country is being taken over more each day. Before long, we will be the minority.
Sad...but true. "
sittin'duck wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:57 PM:
" gmason those Mexicans have a lot of nerve alright,expecting us to learn their language in our own country.How many other nationality do we have in the United States today demanding we change things for them.I agree about Springdale,i've been calling it Mexidale for along time now. "
jessicaisback wrote on Aug 30, 2007 8:55 AM:
" Stop your hate and racism..!! everything south of the Arkansas river was Mexico..!! take a look at the 1820 map of the U.S.
Would you hate the Hawaiian people after the invasion of the islands at gun point?
"
jessicaisback wrote on Aug 30, 2007 9:02 AM:
" Stop you hate and racism!!
Everything south of the Arkansas river was Mexican!! take a look at the U.S. map of 1820.
Just keep invading countries around the world and complaining about their people 200 years later!!
"
Madison wrote on Aug 30, 2007 9:49 AM:
" jessicaisback,you had better go back and study your history.you are only seeing what you want to see.A war was fought,and a treaty was signed.The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo signed in February 2nd 1848.Also I think the southwestern Native American tribes would have a little trouble with your map.You're the one with all the hate and racism.We just want our laws obeyed. "
BRAVO wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:01 AM:
" Is just a bank account, that should not be a right, well done Twin city...as for you unhappy people, stop using your energy to hate others. Hhahahah, its so funny how you get scare of this situations. "
jessicaisback wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:45 AM:
" Madison, I will be glad to donate to you a good History book with very beautiful U.S. maps from the 1800s..!! you should learn more history of your own country, and understand why the hispanics have been here 300 years before the anglos.
"
sittin'duck wrote on Aug 30, 2007 2:18 PM:
" Poor little jessica,you need to grow up.It doesn't matter today what the maps showed back then.A war was fought,we won,and then we paid for the land,so it belongs to the U.S. not Mexico.Even if we gave it back they would just turn it into a sewer like Mexico. "
Madison wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:37 PM:
" Jessica and Bravo this is for you.
Here are some facts. Remember this is just one city.
1. 40% of all workers in L.A. County ( L.A. County has 10.2 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This is because they are predominantly illegal immigrants working w ithout a green card.
2. 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.
3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens
4. Over 2/3 of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexi cans on Medi-Cal , whose births were paid for by taxpayers.
5. Nearly 35% of all inmates in California detention c enters are Mexican nationals here illegally.
6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages.
7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.
8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal.
9. 21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking.
10. In L.A. County 5.1 million people speak English, 3.9 million speak Spanish.
(There are 10.2 million people in L.A. County ).
"
Madison wrote on Aug 30, 2007 4:40 PM:
" continued
(All of the above are from the Los Angeles Times)
Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops, but 29% are on welfare.
Over 70% of the United States ' annual population growth (and over 90% of California , Florida , and New York ) results from immigration.
29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens.
We're a bunch of fools for letting this continue. "
3744 wrote on Aug 30, 2007 9:53 PM:
" Jessica; I guess, according to your way of thinking, Mexican's don't own Mexico at all, as they took it from the indigenous people through war also, if they asked would you give it back? Most lands around the world have been taken and conquered from their original peoples through war and slaughter, and your people are no exception. Your people were at least financially compensated. Quit your whining or go home, preferably the latter. "
Numbers Lady wrote on Aug 31, 2007 10:26 AM:
" Jessica -- Your username is jessica is back. Go back to where you were......we don't need you in NWA. "
sittin'duck wrote on Aug 31, 2007 1:17 PM:
" Fort Smith (Arkansas) Times Record
Suit: Company sells fake licenses
The state Attorney General's Office filed a lawsuit Thursday against a Jonesboro company for allegedly offering fake driver's licenses to Hispanics in northeast Arkansas. -- [Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office] filed suit in Craighead County Circuit Court against Benjamin Sanchez, Oscar Sanchez and Rita Soto, owners and operators of.....American Patrol "
Weenie wrote on Sep 1, 2007 4:39 PM:
" I actually think that Springdale should be called little Tijuana, because it sure is beginning to look like it. Before long there will be no Mexican Border to cross, we will be annexed into Mexico, we seem to take such good care of them anyway. While my taxes, fuel costs, groceries and everything else goes up and my wages just stay the same, because they can hire Mexicans for a lot less and they don't need benefits, they already have them. Shame on us!! Go home Jessica and Rio Bravo. "
Weenie wrote on Sep 1, 2007 4:40 PM:
" PLEASE "
sodapop wrote on Sep 2, 2007 8:09 AM:
" Telling someone to "go home" simply because you do not have the mental ability to state your case is sad. --America is supposed to be a democratic republic and under such a government, free speech is essential and encouraged for all of us. To tell someone to leave America because you don’t agree with their opinion is ironic, America was built entirely on the structure of being able to openly express disapproval of your government. "
Weenie wrote on Sep 2, 2007 1:06 PM:
" America was built on laws and the enforcement of them. When you break the law, you must be held accountable. What part of "illegal" alien do you not understand. The paper today if full of
Americans that have broken the law, and they are being held accountable. What more of a case needs to be stated, and I probably have the mental capability to do so. "
sodapop wrote on Sep 2, 2007 2:13 PM:
" There problem is someone told Jessica to--"Go back to where you were......we don't need you in NWA. "-- That is is naive and as I said ironic in a country that prides itself on freedom of speech. If you can't state your point get out of the argument. "
3744 wrote on Sep 4, 2007 6:25 PM:
" sadapop; you are such a bleeding heart; why don't you take these illegal aliens into your home; you feed them, clothe them, insure them, pay for their free medical and lunches...the rest of us are tired of paying their depts. We are tired of their DUI's, identity theft, child molesting, drug dealing, raping, gang banging ways. "
sodapop wrote on Sep 5, 2007 7:19 AM:
" --Bleeding heart?? I merely defended Jessica's Amendment 1 rights. If you don't like the Bill of Rights why don't you go somewhere else.Why don't you learn how to present your argument. Calling me names will not make your case stronger. "
3744 wrote on Sep 5, 2007 7:57 PM:
" And defending illegal aliens that come here with no other objective than to take all they can get and give nothing back is not making your case any stronger either. When did patriotism and loyalty to our country become racist and politically incorrect? I guess that was when big business decided they didn't want to pay a decent wage and benefits to the people doing the work for them. After all... they have to pay their CEO's millions in bonuses they don't deserve, so they can buy another multi-million dollar home, or on whatever they decide to spend their ill-gotten gains. "
3744 wrote on Sep 5, 2007 8:16 PM:
" As far as I am concerned, people who come here illegally have no regard for the laws of our country, all they want is to reap the benefits without paying any of the price for obtaining it. In my eyes they have no rights under our constitution; they don't want to play by the rules, why should they be protected by them? "
3744 wrote on Sep 5, 2007 8:49 PM:
" Sodapop; No comment? Why should they be protected by a constitution and laws they will not obey? "
