Bank of America Corp. has begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers, typically illegal immigrants, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
In recent years, banks across the country have been offering checking accounts and even mortgages to the nation’s fast-growing ranks of undocumented immigrants, most of whom are Hispanic, the paper said, adding these immigrants generally have not been able to get major credit cards. The new Bank of America card is open to people who lack both a Social Security number and a credit history (illegals), as long as they have held a checking account with the bank for three months without an overdraft. Bank of America tested the program last year at five branches in Los Angeles, and last week expanded it to 51 branches in Los Angeles County ( home of the fastest falling quality of living for a county in the country and largest concentration of illegal immigrants ).
This type of thing eats me up, not only has a once half decent place to live now overrun with crime, expensive housing and sprawl but we continue to TRY and make it worst by offering services to illegals, it’s nice to see that American Companies are doing all they can to stop the flood of illegals. I am a stock holder in BOA and I just want to be CLEAR, I do not support this move on any level it is completely destructive to this city and as this policy spreads nationwide it will only continue to encourage illegal immigration and crime from the likes of MS 13 and other ultra violent Mexican gangs. On top of all this my banks have the gull to hold my checks for a few days or put Christine through the ringer over a check from Canada when they are obviously for taking in high risk investments.
Wow. I completely agree. After what I went through at Washington Mutual (whom I’d had an account with for nearly ten years without an overdraft, held a balance in my savings account reaching five digits, and they wouldn’t deposit a legitimate check under $500 from a legitimate Canadian bank without sending it out for collections, making me wait 6 weeks, and charging me $60 to do it… this pisses me off too. Granted, my issue was with Washington Mutual (that situation actually prompted me to close my account there), not B of A, but still…
In addition to that, which is even more disturbing… when Christopher and I wanted to open a joint business account, they actually made us walk into the bank personally and sign the documents instead of opening online or over the phone and transferring money into the account because, they told us, their rules had tightened to prevent terrorists (obviously also people who do not live here legally or have social security numbers) from opening accounts to funnel money. Again, that was not Bank of America… it was another bank. And I didn’t complain because I see the need to create measures that will prevent that. But offering not only bank accounts but lines of credit to people who are here illegally and have no social security numbers? It’s not only completely irresponsible, but dangerous.
I think the stockholders should pitch a fit. This is completely unacceptable to the stockholders and to American citizens — remember us? Those of us here legally?–in general.
well baby i agree with you here,, this can only increase the fees for the actual americans who pay their bills
Bank of America is a Charlotte based company, so you know it’s run by not so smart people. I should know I lived near the city.
If I was in charge of the country, Illegals would have know reason to come here. They couldn’t get anything here, No housing, no welfare of any kind, no jobs. If they die, well tough on them. Shouldn’t have been here to being with. If you go to Mexico illegally, they throw you in prison as long as they want.
well said ben2
no reason, I meant to say.
The thing is… most people feel that we shouldn’t be extending these services to illegals… yet, those of us who believe that way MUST not be the majority since it seems to get easier day by day to live here if you are an illegal Mexican.
They’re called gutless politicians, doesn’t matter what the people think. You know those are new votes.
BUT… here in Los Angeles, we actually voted a governor out of office because he was too “pro-illegals.”
I thought they voted Gray Davis out because he was an idiot, corrupt and couldn’t balance a checkbook.
Drivers licenses for illegals.. + all those other reasons.
Well they need a license to drive to the bank to get their credit card. Don’t you know that?
When I said new voters Christine, I was talking about the growing Hispanic population. They don’t want to piss them off.
Very interesting. Not only did I blog about this, but I too am a shareholder of BofA. Wow, we have such different opinions.
BofA probably isn’t nearly as interested in the politics of this as much as they are interested in finding any way they can to increase profits.
Wow. It amazes me how some people can’t step out of their own shoes long enough to see how illegal immigrants– yes, I used the word “illegal” because that’s exactly what they are– are compromising the standard of living for everyone else who legally is a citizen of this country. That’s a simple fact, as much as you’d like to close your eyes to it so that you can have family members come here. I understand why it’s hard for you people to see things objectively… you are close to people that this affects. I get it. But let’s pretend for one minute that you could actually step away from your emotional ties and look at the situation for what it is. You would see that what these people are doing is a crime– yes, a crime. We can sugarcoat it all we want and say it isn’t, but it is. They are draining the system by using public services, medical care, and education, but not paying their fair share to replenish it. They are working for less than minimum wage, driving down the wages for our citizens who deserve minimum wage but lose jobs because it’s cheaper to pay for two illegal Mexicans than one U.S. citizen. They cause car insurance rates to go up because they don’t carry car insurance but they still drive and get into accidents. And what about all the Mexicans who go through the proper channels to be admitted into this country legally? How is that fair to them? Why would Americans want a bunch of Mexicans here who don’t even respect our laws right off the bat by coming here without going through the legal process to get visas and become citizens? Oh yeah… because they’re your relatives and they want to be here. That’s why. Great answer.
Your comments show how little you actually understand about reality. Bank of America, being this thing we call a corporation, has a responsibility to its stockholders. Taking ridiculous risks by lending credit to people who can’t even be tracked is not being responsible. Oh but wait… you don’t get that concept. The only concept you get is that your relatives want to come here… Well, I can understand the desire to file a fraudulent lawsuit so that I can maybe win a multi-million dollar settlement and not ever have to work again… but I don’t do that because… wait… why? Oh yeah… it would be illegal. But, but, but… I have such a desire to do it… you mean I can’t do something illegal??? But I WAAAAANT to… it’s my DESIIIIIIIRE….
If Bank of America started lending credit lines to the mafia so that they could continue to conduct illegal business practices, the country would throw a shit fit. This is no different, sweetheart. What the illegals are doing by coming here undocumented is committing a crime under the U.S. Federal Law. Period. You can say you don’t think it should be a crime for them to come here, but the reality is… it’s a crime. They are ILLEGAL. Plain and simple. Therefore, Bank of America is condoning ILLEGAL activity.
You asked for someone to point out the difference between “illegal immigrants” and “undocumented immigrants.” There isn’t. They are the same thing. The latter simply avoids the negative connotation associated with committing crimes. It would be like calling a “child molestor” a “person who enjoys the company of children.” It leaves out the part that’s criminal… the molesting. Get it???
And as much as you would love to believe that the ILLEGAL Mexicans have some sort of major buying power, and is a “market that needs to be tapped,” I’ll let you in on a little secret… as soon as Mexicans start demanding minimum wage, NO ONE will welcome them here anymore and deportations will go up tenfold. The only reason they are accepted by people in power is because they work for NO MONEY. So their buying power… well… hrmmm… it’s hard to have “buying power” when you make $3.00 an hour.
Last, maybe you need to look up the word “humane.” In my opinion, it’s much more “humane” to describe someone as “Illegal” than it is to pay them less than what the government has mandated is the lowest possible wage a person can earn. If they were here legally, there would definitely be some “documents” that would follow them… including a social security number, a credit history, and all the other things that make them viable candidates for credit lines.
I do agree with one thing vita said… Bank of America (which I think I will rename to Banco de Americas) is far from being altruistic. Altruism means you will do anything to help your country. Ruining its economy, promoting illegal activities, as well as promoting the paying of less than minimum wage to any human being– is far from altruistic.
Here is an update from the news today.
“It has spurred opposition in Congress and from grass-roots groups who say many illegal immigrants could benefit, and that the program might foster identity theft, money laundering and terrorism. William Gheen, director of the National Illegal Immigration Boycott Coalition, said his group has collected hundreds of e-mails from people vowing to cancel accounts and move mortgages. The group said it has more than 11,000 signatures on its petition calling for a boycott of Bank of America.
“After September 11th, we were told that money was the lifeblood of terrorists, and that we should do everything possible to block their access to financial resources,” Rep. Tom Tancredo, a Colorado Republican and prominent illegal immigration opponent, said Thursday in a statement.”
Meanwhile, CNN host Lou Dobbs, another illegal immigration opponent, has called the card program “outrageous,” and the idea that Bank of America isn’t marketing to illegal immigrants “fundamentally, absolutely and unequivocally a lie.”
I just went to the website and signed the petition against Bank of America. If anyone else would like to do so, you can find it at http://www.bankofamericaboycott.com.
Thank goodness we have people like William Gheen and ALIPAC to fight this un American activity of BoA. http://www.alipac.us
Well I’m not sure I would call Greed unamerican.. however.. it is misplaced greed.
I briefly worked phone support for GE Moneybank, having to explain to Dillard’s card customers why the system would not let me wave their $30 late fee this month. :rolls eyes: Before I could start the actual job I had to take some training in banking law. I’m pretty darn sure what B of A is doing is illegal.
That said, credit card debit is nothing less than enslavement. I crashed and burned a business in ’98 and was left with $46,000 in short-term, high interest debit, which I managed to pay off the hard way. I have grown to hate debit. I hate debit. You should hate it too. Dang illegals, without debit they are free to come and go, beholden to no man! Enslave the illegals.
(that last part was sarcasm)
But seriously, learn to hate debit; you will be sooooo very much happier. Good grief but it’s a sad thing when contracts and interest payments have us so beat down that we can’t even afford to stroll into Best Buy and pick up a cheap boom box without whipping out the plastic.
And the US is enslaved to the banks through our “national debit”. Did you know the interest on the national debit is the single highest item on the nation’s budget? Bigger than all of the defense spending lumped together.
God I hate debit!
When did commiting a crime become legal?
I can’t understand why, when a Police officer sees an ILLEGAL IMMAGRANT they do NOT arrest them, they allow them to continue about their business.
A CRIME is a CRIME period. Being here illegally is a crime all in it’s own. I have no problem with immagration, but do it right.
If I were to do something illegal I would be locked up faster then I could call my lawyer. We already do enough for the people who do not wish to speak our language. (A drivers test in just about every language????) WTF is wrong with this picture and the people who support this garbage????
Go to Mexico and see if their drivers test has an english option????
Another thing the illegals do, is to cheat the system any way they can. EX. Live in 1 State but yet have their cars registered in another…No car insurance…No drivers license…
Just seen a kid get locked up a few days ago, guess what?? No surprise here, 10 mins later he was back to pick up his illegal car with his illegal drivers license and no insurance…. Let me try that one, YEAH RIGHT!
After 9/11 the illegals and temporarys should be deported at once. Why are we risking our childrens lives??? They WILL do this again.
I fly my FLAG proudly, if they want a taste of the American Dream, then they need to leave and ask to come back into our country, if NOT be prepared to pay the price when we go to war!!!
Ok, so does this mean if I go into a Bank of America to open an account now I DON’T have to give my SS number to them to do it? I mean hey, c’mon, if BoA is giving credit cards and checking accounts to immigrants with no SS numbers why should I, an American tax paying citizen, have to give mine? So I should be able to go into a BoA, open a checking account without giving an SS number and 3 months later get a secured credit card right?
I’m switching banks first of all, then I’m going to try it on BoA and see if they’ll let me.
–Jess
Christine and I were wondering this exact same thing.. considering they ground us up about opening a bank account in Nevada from California, even though our corporation is in Nevada… and here illegals don’t even need an id to get an credit card.. go figure. Maybe BOA isn’t paying attention to New Century and what happens when you give money to high risk prospects.
Jess, if you do this, please comment again on the blog and let us know how it goes… I’m guessing there are “different rules” for you being a citizen and all then there are for them.
I have an idea. And I think it is a good one. Let’s round up all the illegal immigrants and send them to Iraq. Those that are willing to fight for the U.S. can stay, and those who aren’t, get deported tomorrow. After all, if they’re willing to risk so much to come here, they must love this country enough to risk their lives for it, right? Right?
Cila, that link is dead;
Not Found
The requested URL was not found on this server.
I don’t know what link you’re talking about, Jess. I just checked both on this page and they seem to be working…
I removed the link because it was SPAM. Sorry.. meant to leave a mesage but forgot.
I am so sick and tired of all the illegals!
Our tax $$$ are building them hiring sites but if you stop to hire guess what? you get a ticket. All the talk shows are way too politically correct and no one spells it all out….they don’t pay federal, local, school or state taxes, You and I are stuck with it. We even have to pay for interperters at school board meetings because they refuse to learn the language. We pay their medical, and if they get hurt while working illegally medicaid(we) foot the bill. Taxpayer you try getting help, you can’t if you have a check book. They get for free what we lifelong tax payer scan’t even imagine. Have you noticed all the arrests? Seems the answer to what ever problems they have is to rape and murder and then we the tax payer can feed, clothe and house them. Why doesn’t our government charge their originating country back for services provided while in our jails! Our politicians are a pack of wusses….let’s have a national vote and send them all packing.
By the way look up the Mexican Immigration laws….a real eye opener, will make you sick….I will never vacation in a Latino country again…Next time you go leave your vacation retreat and go local to see how well the Mexican government takes care of their people, no wonder we have garbage strewn all over and our neighborhoods are getting more and more run down, they don’t know what running water is. I say bus them all the Hillary’s house and dump them on her front lawn!
Yesterday on my way to work at 7:30 AM there was a Mexican sleeping or passed out on the grass adjacent to the street with 2 stollen grocery carts. I was going to call 911 since it would have been the humane thing to do but I changed my mind. All I could think of was that my tax $$$ would have to pay a hospital bill…..
I’m disgusted because my voice is just not being heard
We hear you, Adele. Truth is, we’re not hearing that many people who don’t feel this way…
Do posts have to be approved first before showing up? I made a post and hit submit and it didn’t post.
-Jess
Nope, guess not, maybe it was too long?
-Jess
Becoming Illegal (Actual letter from an Iowa resident and sent to his
senator)
The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Phone (202) 224 3254
Washington , 20510
Dear Senator Harkin,
As a native Iowan and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you. My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill’s provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I’m excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year. Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications, as well as “in-state” tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver’s license and making those burdensome car.
insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance.
Your Loyal Constituent,
Donald Ruppert
Burlington , IA
Get your Forms (NOW)!! Call your Internal Revenue Service 1-800-289-1040.
Someone should tell Donald he can get started at BoA.
So let’s take back the country from the “pro-illegal” minority! Who’s ready to take up arms??
Yeah, that’s what I thought…
Take up arms??? That might be a bit extreme… how about we all put our money where our mouths are and (1) boycott companies– like B of A– that support illegal immigrants’ business and hire illegals, (2) Do everything in our power to let our representatives (Senators, Congresspeople, local reps) know that we support laws that limit the rights of illegals. That might be a good start.
I closed my accounts at BOA and sold my stock. Whatever there are lots of banks to invest in and bank at.. I don’t need BOA.
Jess… that is hilarious! Thanks for posting that.
BofA pissed me off years ago when they wouldn’t cash at the very same branch the woman who wrote me the check had her account with because I didn’t have a BofA account. They simply refused to cash it. That was their underhanded little way of trying to force everyone to get BofA accounts. It didn’t work. And I started telling clients I’d accept any check as long as it wasn’t from BofA. When the BofA account holders asked me why, I told them BofA made it really difficult to cash the checks, so I no longer accepted them and suggested they find another bank. I don’t know if any of them did, but even if one decided to move their account, it was a nice little fuck you to BofA. Anyway… that’s minute compared to the whole illegal immigration thing. I put my name on the boycott list and read the emails I get that keep me apprised on what BofA is doing.
(y)
Hey!! I think the guy on the right (in the picture) was my waiter last night!!!
Christopher: I was going to leave him 15%, but he wanted pesos, so I stiffed him.
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MANTHESE GUYZ R SO HOT,BUT I WOULDEN’T WANT2 GET ON THEIR BAD LIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(Y) (y) (I) (i)
HEY WTF SPAKE, AND SAYETH IZ WHAT THEY PUT ME UNDER LOL NE WAYZ YEAH I DO THINK THESE GUYZ R SO HHHHHOOOOTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (P) (p)
how do I get a credit card
Um, becoming a student usually does it…
LOL!
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hi
You call yourself Americans! This country makes stupid decisions(like unnecessary wars) because of ignorant people like you.
All Kata said was “hi”… geez!
wow you all have a very narrow mind I feel bad about you all people. I’m a central american/spanish immigrant that came to this country to succeed by myself. I don’t want to take anyone’s job or get paid less than minimun wage. I just want to have a decent job to at least survive. I guess you all would do the same in any other country if you weren’t in your own. I’m aware of all the discrimination against the majority of spanish immigration and just to let you know you should at least be thankful that there’s people that work so hard and get the most difficult jobs for you. I’m a student with a100% average and unfortunately I’m an illegal person that has a 25% of getting into college because of my migratory status.. while most citizen students’ average are as low as a none english speaker.. believe me, I’ve seen it. my dream is to someday become a professional and succeed. I work every day in an italian pizza place as a dish washer for 7 hours after school, my hand are so mistreated and they look so bad but I needed the job to survive. just try to do that for one week in a row and you’ll realize that for us is not easy at all to do all the hard job while all legal citizens just enjoy of the dinner. is not easy to be in our shoes, we’re technically forced to migrate to this country beacuse unfortunately in ours we don’t have better goverments. have you tried to live in a communist country that your opinion doesn’t count at all? I bet you would all run away too. I’m not trying to say that we’re better or worst beacuse we’re all equal but I think we need the same chances of enjoying a good life too. but if you think you’re better than us because you have a ssn number just think of this… where your roots come from? italy?? germany?? greece?? england?? irelan?? all your past generations didn’t belong here either and they suffered as we suffered. just because you were born here, doesn’t you’re american. unless you’re native american or mayan/aztec/inca descendece. I’m not trying to be racist but that’s the true, I’m more american than you all. well I think that’s enough said, by the way I got to this blog because I was looking for a bank that would let me open an account witout ssn to save in a secure place my savings that I have for college because it would be awful if I lose the money that I’m preparing for my future. so I ironically got to this site and read it. I don’t think this will make you change your mind about spanish immigrants because not all are like me but I just want you to be in our shoes for a minute. lets see what you think now. (c)
THis Is he MOst AMAzing SIte DUDe Good Work