September 24, 2003
Media Alert
Conference examines financial services
for Mexican workers
in the U.S.
EVENT: "Remittances, the Matrícula Consular, and Financial Services used by Mexican Migrants in Central Texas," a policy workshop featuring Mexican Undersecretary for Foreign Relations Geronimo Guitierrez
WHEN: Friday, September 26, 2003
WHERE: Bass Lecture Hall, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin, 2315 Red River
BACKGROUND: Issued by the Mexican government to its nationals abroad, the “matrícula consular” is the form of identification used by migrant workers in the U.S. to open bank accounts and transfer cash remittances to their families in Mexico. Representing an estimated $10 billion per year, remittances from Mexican workers are the second most important source of foreign exchange in Mexico. In 2001, Mexican President Vicente Fox launched the “martícula consular” program in an attempt to protect Mexican workers in the U.S. Despite controversy surrounding the national security and illegal immigration issues, earlier this month the U.S. Treasury decided to uphold its policies allowing banks and financial institutions to accept the “matrícula consular” as long as they maintain compliance with guidelines set forth by the USA Patriot Act
Bringing together top government officials, financial industry leaders, representatives from nongovernmental organizations who serve migrant workers, and expert researchers, the goal of this conference is to assess the significance of remittances from Mexico to the U.S., and the value and utility of the “matrícula consular.”
Sponsored by the Mexican Center of the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, this event is free and open to the public. The Mexican Center was established in 1980 to promote greater knowledge and understanding of Mexico, and to coordinate the advancement of Mexican studies at UT Austin.
For additional information contact the Mexican Center at 512/232-2423.
2003 Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
P.O. Box Y
Austin, TX 78713-8925
512-471-4962
24 September 2003
Comments to: lbjweb@uts.cc.utexas.edu
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