Most banks require new customers to show a social security card before they start a bank account. For an illegal immigrant trying to become a U.S. citizen, the process of getting a social number can take years.
The Bank of America is now letting illegal immigrants open bank accounts, even if they don’t have a social security number. All it takes is a Mexican Consulate ID card.
Hispanic activists have been working for months to start this program in Kansas. It's a pilot project that has been tried in three other states, with good results.
Billions of dollars leave the U.S. every year, going to Mexico because illegal immigrants can't get a bank account. For those who previously couldn’t get an account, this major change will finally give them a chance to use a bank.
The Bank of America says up to 55,000 families in Kansas could take advantage of this new program.
