Bank of America launches credit card for illegal immigrants

[chuckandkim 0]

For those LEGAL immigrants who are here, struggling to get a bank card, check card, open up a bank account... let's spin this news to your benefit... If BOA gives ILLEGAL immigrant a credit card, think how easy they would be to apply with you REAL SSN card, Passport, K-1/3CR1 Visa? This could be an opportunity for those who need to establish their "history of relationship" via join bank account, credit card, loans etc. Look in the brighter side, this could be a way to get "banked" without jumping through the "Patriot" hoops. I love this country more and more. What do you think?

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

i think there are two issues going on here.

1) the bank needs to be able to id you somehow

and

2) the bank determines your "credit worthiness".

The itin (fake or real) can be used by the bank for the id purposes.

Once id'ed, they determine if you(legal or not, not their job) are worthy of some form of credit. If you are not credit worthy, then hey, you do not get credit approval, immigration standing is moot.

Sorry for those whose legally immigrated spouses or themselves got denied credit. it really isn't a matter of your immigration status. just plain business decisions.

There are many ways to acquire ccs. My wife got a cc within a month of her arrival. We just happen to be in a fortunate situation. But shows that it can be done legally.

good luck to all.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Heracles 417]

u can get one.. get an ITIN.. that's all you need.. those articles are so biased.. telling people Jose Illegal can go to BoA with a bag full of 'illegal cash' and just cuz get a credit card.. nope.. those aren't all te facts..

"The banks instead allow the immigrants to establish accounts by using individual taxpayer identification numbers, or ITINs, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. They also may accept an identification card issued by Mexican consulates, known as the matricula consular....

"Bank of America complies fully with all banking and antiterrorism laws governing customer identification, which permit the use of ITINs, spokeswoman Trower said. ..."

so.. stop the BS'ing pliz..

and just what makes anyone think these itins used for id match the ones using them?

Do you really think those slimeballs at BoA care as long as it makes them a sleazy buck?

The CEO is on about $22 million. For him it is all about lining his pockets. With stuff like this, the free market fails. As I said in another post, security, health and education are three fields which need to be government regulated otherwise they can destroy a country.

As I expected no democrat politician has raised this issue. It does not seem to be on their "issue of the month" list. Aka band-wagon issues which make me look better rather than proactively focusing on issues which actually affects Americans.

Edited February 23, 2007 by Infidel

[Heracles 417]

For those LEGAL immigrants who are here, struggling to get a bank card, check card, open up a bank account... let's spin this news to your benefit... If BOA gives ILLEGAL immigrant a credit card, think how easy they would be to apply with you REAL SSN card, Passport, K-1/3CR1 Visa? This could be an opportunity for those who need to establish their "history of relationship" via join bank account, credit card, loans etc. Look in the brighter side, this could be a way to get "banked" without jumping through the "Patriot" hoops. I love this country more and more. What do you think?

I am sure many here are pulling hair out trying to get a bank account. An Indian friend of mine who has never ever stepped foot in America was able to establish a bank account with ease..

[mawilson 2,133]

one of the reason the CEO of BOA gave to excuse his corp practice is: by pulling in all the illegal immigrants' money/cash via these credit cards, he actually helps the Government to fight terrorists who try to fund its activity. Flat out #######!

It's not #######. We should give all illegals driving licenses and state IDs as well. Then we'll know who they are and where they live.

[pedroh 21]

For those LEGAL immigrants who are here, struggling to get a bank card, check card, open up a bank account... let's spin this news to your benefit... If BOA gives ILLEGAL immigrant a credit card, think how easy they would be to apply with you REAL SSN card, Passport, K-1/3CR1 Visa? This could be an opportunity for those who need to establish their "history of relationship" via join bank account, credit card, loans etc. Look in the brighter side, this could be a way to get "banked" without jumping through the "Patriot" hoops. I love this country more and more. What do you think?

there's not a satisfaction for many people to look at the bright side of something, they want to feel they're being treated unfairly.. is like lookin at the celebrities and sayin 'oh she's so skinny iugh'..

yea, if there was a BoA when I first got into NC, I'd be more than happy to open one of those credit cards, although Im not a fan of th deposit and hgh interest now, cuz i have a decent credit score, back then it would have a been a feasible option..

and I know they're not the only ones to open bank accounts without SS#'s and just ITIN's.. I don't see the reason to be against ITIN, it's a fair thing.. besides.. I dunno where yall go banking, but I didn't have many problems when i got my bank account :S

[Fandango 1,440]

i think there are two issues going on here.

1) the bank needs to be able to id you somehow

and

2) the bank determines your "credit worthiness".

The itin (fake or real) can be used by the bank for the id purposes.

Once id'ed, they determine if you(legal or not, not their job) are worthy of some form of credit. If you are not credit worthy, then hey, you do not get credit approval, immigration standing is moot.

Sorry for those whose legally immigrated spouses or themselves got denied credit. it really isn't a matter of your immigration status. just plain business decisions.

There are many ways to acquire ccs. My wife got a cc within a month of her arrival. We just happen to be in a fortunate situation. But shows that it can be done legally.

good luck to all.

Daniel

:energetic:

credit is determined from your ss#, so no number=no credit history

[mawilson 2,133]

For those LEGAL immigrants who are here, struggling to get a bank card, check card, open up a bank account... let's spin this news to your benefit... If BOA gives ILLEGAL immigrant a credit card, think how easy they would be to apply with you REAL SSN card, Passport, K-1/3CR1 Visa? This could be an opportunity for those who need to establish their "history of relationship" via join bank account, credit card, loans etc. Look in the brighter side, this could be a way to get "banked" without jumping through the "Patriot" hoops. I love this country more and more. What do you think?

I am sure many here are pulling hair out trying to get a bank account. An Indian friend of mine who has never ever stepped foot in America was able to establish a bank account with ease..

Why shouldn't they be able to open a bank account with ease? What's the big deal

about having a bank account? A bank is a place where you keep your money - no more,

no less - banks are not supposed to be immigration checkpoints.

[chuckandkim 0]

Tell that to the patriot acts. They want to see your Green Card, your Passport, your Visa, you State ID, your proof of residency, your SSN Card before they, the bank, will let you open an account. It's NOT that simple buddy. That is why it is a problem with BOFA giving out Credit Cards to illegal immigrants in Los Angeles as a pilot program, to be expanded in a near future.

The point applies to us VJers is that we did everything LEGAL and suffered from it, where being ILLEGAL immigrants would gain you more benefit and skip the line. Where is the justification for that matter?

mawilson: same anology - why not get rid of personal property, just leave everything outside your home and people can take what they want. That will solve the problem with robbery and stealing.

[Marc and Olga 0]

Funny what I read and posted about the ITINs seems as though a bank should not be accepting them as ID...when was the last time you paid your taxes to your bank?

How is credit determined by a number that is for TAX purposes only?

I will post it again...see my previous post for the source.

ITINs are not valid identification outside the tax system.

emphasis added for the reading impaired

[mawilson 2,133]

mawilson: same anology - why not get rid of personal property, just leave everything outside your home and people can take what they want. That will solve the problem with robbery and stealing.

I don't understand this analogy. How is this the same as letting banks be banks and not immigration checkpoints?

[chuckandkim 0]

The idea you suggested: "It's not #######. We should give all illegals driving licenses and state IDs as well. Then we'll know who they are and where they live. "

[Fandango 1,440]

Funny what I read and posted about the ITINs seems as though a bank should not be accepting them as ID...when was the last time you paid your taxes to your bank?

How is credit determined by a number that is for TAX purposes only?

I will post it again...see my previous post for the source.

ITINs are not valid identification outside the tax system.

emphasis added for the reading impaired

If the question in red was directed at my last comment...credit is not necessarily determined by your social, rather FROM your social...it is attached to it, for lack of a better description.

Which is precisely why new immigrants have no credit history despite years of credit in their own respective countries. Everything is reported using your social, which is why when you go for a loan or a cc, they will ask your social so they can pull your credit.

Hence no ss#=no credit.

Edited February 23, 2007 by LisaD

[Addie_Goodvibes 0]

u can get one.. get an ITIN.. that's all you need.. those articles are so biased.. telling people Jose Illegal can go to BoA with a bag full of 'illegal cash' and just cuz get a credit card.. nope.. those aren't all te facts..

"The banks instead allow the immigrants to establish accounts by using individual taxpayer identification numbers, or ITINs, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. They also may accept an identification card issued by Mexican consulates, known as the matricula consular....

"Bank of America complies fully with all banking and antiterrorism laws governing customer identification, which permit the use of ITINs, spokeswoman Trower said. ..."

so.. stop the BS'ing pliz..

The point here pedroh, is that Bof A nor any other financial institution or govt. agency should NOT, EVER PROVIDE ANY KINd OF BENEFIT OR ASSISTANCE TO ILLEGAL ALIENS, BOTTOM. LINE

Why Accomodate CRIMINALS who enter the country illegally, work without proper authorization, Work with out paying income tax on ALL their illegal earnings, Take free medical aid costing Billions / year to those legally here, lower public education standards, commit crime, drive illegally unisured and raise costs, risk, and lower the standard of life in USA. WHY SHOULD they Be given any opportunity or benefit. When Legal Immigrants have to wait before getting a drivers liscense, have to pay money and wait before they get EAD card . Those who enter the country ILLEGALLY SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED ANY ACCOMODATION OTHER THAN A 1 WAY BUS TICKET or PLANE TICKET BACK TO WHERE THEY ENTERED ILLEGALLY.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ( Who enter the USA w/out inspection intentionally violating federal immigration laws) should be treated as any other federal criminal and be deported, not given aide and assistance in their bold defiance of USA laws.

My wife who entered the country legally, could not open a bank account at BofA, until she got her EAD card. there were several banks that refused her line of credit or a simple ATM card for her savings, finally a bank let her open a SAVINGS account and issued her a NON Visa ATM card. She did not work illegally, did not drive illegally, and entered the country with proper VISA & Inspection. So why should CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS be rewarded instead they should be deported NO QUESTIONS ASKED

[Addie_Goodvibes 0]

The idea you suggested: "It's not #######. We should give all illegals driving licenses and state IDs as well. Then we'll know who they are and where they live. "

WHY spend the money on letting them have DL/ ID's it only encourages mor eillegal activity.

Regardless of having a Dl they will continue to drive without insurance costing insured LEGAL drivers million per year in unisured motorist premiums.

Again no Benefit or reward or accomodation should be given to anyone who has entered and remains in the USA ILLEGALLY.

No drivers liscense. no free non Emergency Medical care, NO FREE Pre-natal, or Post natal medical care.

No bank account, No credit card.

Why give an illegal ALien a credit card so they can max it out steal from creditors and then not pay the bill, how stupid can one be to think majority of them will pay the bill when they won't even pay meidcla insurance, or pay for automobile insurance.