Did you see this bill to address the Bank of America issue?

Question

http://www.startribune.com/417/story/1018557.html

I think that foreigners who can show they are legally here should be able to get loans, so I guess I would tinker with this to say if you don't have a social security card you would need immigration confirmation of legal status, rather than that you'd be barred altogether.

And thinking about it, part of me would rather we handled it through boycott than legislation. However, I think the government has a legitimate interest in preventing encouragement of illegal immigration. I just wish it extended to not offering them benefits or work of any kind.

What do you think of this bill?

Michael E, most of these people can't pay a fraction in taxes of what it costs to educate their children. It is clearly bad for our schools and services to have this mass immigration of poor people, taxpaying or not (since their taxes are so little.) However, I have some feelings on imposing on the banks by law as well. Perhaps a better way would be to make the banks disclose where money from account holders goes so they can individually chose where they want their money put. As to me, I don't want my money making it easier for illegal immigrants to stay here, when their sheer numbers are the biggest problem in education where my children go to school (LA.)

Michael, the tax system is in by democratic process. So are the immigration laws.

Answer 1

So glad you asked.....

My hubby (a legal resident from Mexico) and I have 6 accounts with Bankofamerica.

When I found out they would be issuing credit cards to illegals, the following questions came to my mind:
1. If these people got deported, and didn't pay off their cards, how would that deficit affect the bank and MY accounts/fees?

2. Illegals use false information. There are thousands here where I live, and they use fake names, then change their names every time they leave the country and come back. How will the bank know who is the rightful owner of the card? Their friends can use it, because none of them have any id. If their card is stolen, how could they prove it? It would cost so much money for Bankof america to investigate illegal charges....that cost would make it eventually back to my fees in my account.

3. The problems caused by issuing credit cards to people with no id will inevitably cause b.o.a. to hire tons more spanish speaking representatives, which is good because it creates jobs, but at the same time, bank of america will spend millions on this new payroll expenditure. How will this spending affect my accounts?

On one hand, I already know how bank of america nickels and dimes their customers to death already....they probably see easy prey in the illegals, who just want to survive, and won't argue a $30 late fee with the bank. B.O.A has dollar signs in their eyes....so it is potentially great income for the bank.

On the other hand, I couldn't get a credit card for years. My husband has great credit, and BOA won't raise his limit. It burns me up to know boa is giving people credit cards with NO personal info. I see it as a big risk, and as a valuable customer of Bank of america, I plan to move ALL my accounts elsewhere when they start those practices that you mention.

My husband sees it as a very positive thing, and doesn't really care, although he would like to close all our accounts just because we have to constantly babysit bankofamerica for mishandling our accounts on a regular basis.

Answer 2

I believe this Bill and those pushing it should be driven out of my great country.

1) The bill blocks loans to individuals who've PAID FEDERAL TAXES, illegal resident or not. I thought the whole problem with "illegals" was they use up social program resources. These are hard working tax payers who want to buy a home here. As the article states, many of these people are here legally, but the slow wheels of beurocracy can take up to 8 YEARS to issue a SS#!! Why is this form of racism so tolerated in this country??

2) The Federal government has no legal right to dictate who a private bank deals with. It's forced discrimination! The U.S. Constitution is extremely clear about the powers of the government. How they can justify this abuse is beyond me!

Will they next dictate banks can't make loans to ANY criminals, past or present? Get a speeding ticket and the bank forecloses on your house? Think about it! By allowing the Federal government to claim the power this Bill assumes, you're agreeing the Fed can do just that.

Edit: Interesting argument you make about the taxes: Are you suggesting the tax system is FAIR for everyone else? What about the school taxes people pay who HAVE NO KIDS??? What about the natural born Americans who draw Welfare/Medicaid/etc checks without ever paying a dime in?? I'd be more than willing to deport them too! Better yet, why don't we do away with all of the illegal socialist programs and get back to what made this country great to begin with....pure, unaulturated capitalism.

Answer 3

I went to the B of A boycott site, and checked for Wachovia. It's not listed in my state, but it IS listed in the top 12. I called, and after a 13 minute wait, I get a southern-accented woman on the line. I ask her if their bank allows illegals to have deposit or credit accounts, and she LAUGHS, and says no. She then tries to explain to me (because I'm apparently stupid??) that "accountholders have to answer security questions when they open the account." So I say "So you accept the Mexican Matricula as a valid form of ID?" and she goes "well they have to provide a SSN along with it." And I say "So you DO accept a foreign government's ID?" and she just repeated her last answer. I was fed up by then and said "Ok thanks bye."

So, if the bank requires a valid SSN with a photo ID, doesn't that mean the person is LEGAL? Or do illegals have some other way of attaining an account without a SSN that this phone rep didn't bother to mention?

Answer 4

I think we should not have to be dealing with this. I would love to see the wall go up along the border, built by the Mexicans themselves. If they are willing to wall off that country from here then I'll give them legal status. I'm just sick of spanish.

Answer 5

Poster above: Leave the thinking to those of us that are equipped to do it.

No brainer here. If the racist group La raza is against it then I'm for it. I would make sure that the provisions for legal immigrants were incorporated.

Answer 6

I hate illegals, because people have to pay a lot of money to legitimately be here and get green cards. BofA paper statements are not even written in English. They come only in Spanish. This bank should be shut down for catering to illegals.

Answer 7

I do not trust BoA anymore.

Answer 8

To each their own,,??