Mexico to issue birth certificates to citizens at its US consulates

California Highway Patrol officers Armando Garcia, right, and Ray Patton explain to immigrants the process of getting a drivers license during an information session at the Mexican Consulate, in San Diego. (AP)

The Mexican government will issue birth certificates to its citizens at consulates in the United States to make it easier for them to apply for a U.S. work permit, driver’s license and protection from deportation.

Previously, Mexico required citizens to get birth certificates at government offices in Mexico. Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. can ask friends and relatives back home to retrieve them, but it delays their applications for immigration or other programs.

Mexico is trying to help millions of immigrants living illegally in the U.S. apply for programs that would allow them to remain temporarily in the country and continue sending money to relatives across the border, despite Republicans in Congress trying to quash President Obama’s immigration reform plan.

“It is a huge help. It helps individuals really begin to formulate their formal identity in this country,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

About half of the 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally are from Mexico, and immigration experts estimate that roughly 3 million Mexicans could be eligible to apply for work permits and protection from deportation under the administration’s plan.

About two weeks ago, California — which is home to more Mexicans than any other state — began issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants in the country illegally

Starting Thursday, the country’s 50 consulates in the United States will be able to access data in Mexico and print birth certificates at the consulates.

Consulates should be able to issue birth certificates for nearly all birthplaces in Mexico, aside from rural communities, Arturo Sanchez, consult for press and commerical affairs in Santa Ana, California, said.

Over the past year, the Santa Ana consulate has seen a surge in the demand for documents. Daily appointments have jumped by a third to nearly 400, with many people trying to get birth certificates, Sanchez said.

Mexican immigrants usually seek birth certificates to obtain a passport or consular identification card so they can then apply for a driver’s license or immigration relief, he said.

In California, Mexican consular officials have supported the rollout of the new driver’s license program, holding information sessions and offering test preparation classes to help immigrants pass the written test required to get a license.

Mexican migrant workers, many who live in the United States, sent home $21.6 billion to their families in 2013, according to the country’s central bank.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Mexico to issue birth certificates to citizens at its US consulates

Barbados requests FB information on three citizens

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Thursday, August 29, 2013

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Barbados has made a request of the social networking website, Facebook, for information on the use the social media site by three of its citizens.Barbados is the only Caribbean Community country to have made such a request, so far.Facebook has, for the first time, published data on how often governments around the world request data on its users, and according to the social network, Barbados made three requests on three individual users in the last six months.Facebook did not specify the nature or type request but said it set “a very high legal bar with each individual request in order to receive any information about any of our users”.There has been no official comment from Bridgetown but Facebook has outlined the conditions under which requests are accepted from Governments.“As we have made clear in recent weeks, we have stringent processes in place to handle all government data requests. We believe this process protects the data of the people who use our service, and requires Governments to meet a very high legal bar with each individual request in order to receive any information about any of our users.“We scrutinise each request for legal sufficiency under our terms and the strict letter of the law, and require a detailed description of the legal and factual bases for each request. We fight many of these requests, pushing back when we find legal deficiencies and narrowing the scope of overly broad or vague requests.“When we are required to comply with a particular request, we frequently share only basic user information, such as name,” Facebook said.It said that it hopes the report published at https://www.facebook.com/safety/groups/law/guidelines/ will be “useful to our users in the ongoing debate about the proper standards for government requests for user information in official investigations.“And while we view this compilation as an important first report, it will not be our last. In coming reports, we hope to be able to provide even more information about the requests we receive from law enforcement authorities,” Facebook added.

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Barbados requests FB information on three citizens

Bahamas issues travel advisory for citizens going to Miami

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Thursday, August 01, 2013 | 11:14 AM

NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) – The Bahamas government has warned nationals travelling to the United States to be careful about their possession as they embark upon shopping expeditions in the North American country.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this “is the traditional season for Bahamians to shop before back-to-school and while shopping may not be paying particular attention to their documents and possessions. “We are asking them to take particular care because of reports of opportunistic theft of Bahamian passports and travel documents through break-ins in cars in the parking lots of shopping malls. We are advising all Bahamians travelling in the Miami area to be aware of their surroundings. Be sure that you are not followed.”Most importantly, nationals are being urged “not come out of cars if you are bumped at traffic lights” and that placing passports and other important documents in glove compartments and the trunks of your cars are strongly discouraged.”The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all citizens to contact the Bahamas consulate in Miami if their documents are stolen.The government also warns that Bahamians could be charged with grand auto theft, if they are unable to return their rented vehicles within the stipulated time on the contract.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Bahamas issues travel advisory for citizens going to Miami