RIVERSIDE, Calif. – What started as local coverage of a newbranch opening at Altura CU last week snowballed into an illegalimmigration protest covered by CNN. Altura Credit Union (formerlyknown as Riverside County's CU), which serves Riverside and SanDiego counties in California, as well as select communities inOrange and San Bernardino counties and has some 100,000 members,was picketed March 26 as a result of its policy to accept a MexicanMatricula Consular as an acceptable form of ID for new members. Thecredit union was a target of a protest by immigration activistgroup Citizens' Alliance for a Secure America (CASA), headquarteredin Southern California. The group charges that Altura's acceptanceof the matricula card promotes illegal immigration. And as if aprotest outside a branch wasn't bad enough, a film crew from CNNarrived to cover the event. The coverage was aired March 28 on LouDobbs Tonight, as part of the anchor's ongoing segment entitled“Broken Borders,” which focuses on immigration issues. AlturaPresident/CEO Mark Hawkins said he couldn't comprehend why hiscredit union's policy, common among banks and credit unions in manystates, deserved national coverage. “We are frustrated that so manynews organizations view this as a newsworthy item, when we reallydon't feel that it is.” Use of the matricula identification issupported by the California Credit Union League, according toLeague spokesman Mark Lowe. “We have been in favor of credit unionshaving the option to accept the matricula since we stated ourposition on this issue in 2003, and our position has not changed,”Lowe said. According to the League, at least 25 credit unions inCalifornia accept the matricula for new account identification.Matriculas are also commonly accepted among credit unions in Texas.Altura's Hawkins said he is confused why CASA chose to protest thecredit union, which isn't breaking any laws. “We said in ourprepared statement that this is a Federal Government problem, not astate of California problem, and certainly not a credit unionproblem,” Hawkins said. “These people need to be demonstratingagainst the Federal Government, not our credit union.” Hecontinued, “They don't like the fact that the U.S. Governmentdoesn't have control over its Southern border, and we know peopleenter the U.S. illegally. But we're a credit union that's operatingwithin the laws of California and the U.S. Government, and as longas that's true, it's hard to justify what their argument with uswould be.” Lowe agrees. “As far as we're concerned,” the League repsaid, “It's not an immigration issue, it's a service issue. Creditunions strive to serve all members within their field ofmembership. It's the mission of credit unions to move people whoare left out of mainstream financial services into the mainstream.”Lowe added that many immigrants who don't maintain accounts atfinancial institutions are frequently targets of crime. “Robbersprey on people in a cash-only economy,” Lowe said, “because theyknow they carry large amounts of cash on them, or have it in theirhomes. This is also a safety issue.” The protest and ensuing CNNcoverage started innocently enough in February, when the $660million Altura opened a branch in Coachella, Calif., a town on theEastern edge of the greater Palm Springs metro area. “Coachella isabout 98% Hispanic, with many Mexican immigrants and migrantworkers,” Hawkins said. “We were only the second financialinstitution ever in the town, and the first consumer institution,since the other is an agricultural financer.” Hawkins said thatwhile covering the branch opening, local press asked if the creditunion would be accepting matriculas as a form of ID for newmembers. Altura has allowed the use of matriculas since 2003, andthe Coachella branch would be no different, Hawkins said. But whenthe fact was reported in local news coverage, immigration watchgroups took note. Letters to the editor began to appear in localpapers, which eventually led to the organized protest. Wheninterviewed by CNN, CASA founder Arne Chandler said only illegalMexican immigrants have use for the matricula documentation.However, Hawkins takes issue with Chandler's assertion. “To say allthis representation that those who use a matricula are illegalaggravates me, because it's simply not true. In fact, they are verylikely legal immigrants,” Hawkins said. He added, “this group isjust making an example of citizens of Mexican heritage, and to me,that's just discriminatory.” The Hispanic population is aconsiderable percentage of Altura's field of membership. Accordingto the 2000 U.S. Census, more than 36% of Riverside Countyrespondents identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino. “Ourcharter is to serve people of all origins who live, work, attendschool and worship in this area. This is what we've been organizedto do,” Hawkins said. “Use of the matricula is our right within thelaw, and we're doing nothing to jeopardize the credit union in anyway.” With all this publicity, it would seem that the credit unionis opening a number of accounts using the controversial form of ID,when in fact, it is not. “We bring in 1,400 new members per month,and to my knowledge, nobody has gotten in using a matricula,”Hawkins said. “The issue is just that we would accept it, weresomebody to present it to us.” The credit union learned of theprotest and corresponding CNN coverage a couple days before theevent, so they had some time to prepare. Management trained branchstaff for the event by preparing a talking points sheet forinteraction with members, and making it clear that only Hawkins andRicki McManuis, Senior Vice President, Marketing and BusinessDevelopment, were to speak with the press. They also communicatedthat protesters were within their rights to protest, as long asthey stayed on public property and did not trespass. “Inrecognition of the protestors, they were civil,” Hawkins said. “Itwas aggravating that they were there, but there was no violence orname calling. They behaved themselves.” Hawkins also reported thatthe credit union did not feel the need to hire extra security forthe event, or that employees felt threatened in any way. CNN crewsdid interview a few members, but Hawkins said “they were totallysupportive of us.” Hawkins said he doesn't think CASA will stopdemonstrating against financial institutions that acceptmatriculas. “They picketed against Bank of America and Wells Fargoin December,” Hawkins said, “And certainly it would appear theylook for different opportunities to be heard. Who will be next? Ihave no idea, but I'm sure it will be someone.” Hawkins concluded,“This issue is not going away. When cultures collide, there willalso be issues.” -

[email protected]