Collins Report

By Kevin “Coach” Collins

In a stunning move designed to combat the tide of identity thieves and illegal aliens who are sneaking into our country, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has passed a bill invalidating all Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010.

The emergency nature of this extreme measure brings to light the fact that the Island’s birth certificate system has suffered a major penetration of its security barriers over the past several years.
Puerto Rican officials estimate as many as 1.36 million people of Puerto Rican decent living across the country now have invalid birth certificates and big problems because of the rampant identity theft that has plagued the Island in recent years.

Because people born in Puerto Rico are automatically American citizens, using a stolen birth certificate falsely indicating it had been “issued” on the Island provides clear sailing into mainland America and all that represents. The potential for security threats to all of America are mind boggling.

How this came to light

Last March Puerto Rican law enforcement authorities carried out a raid that broke up a criminal gang specializing in changing blank stolen birth certificate into fraudulent documents to be used to secure any number of “legitimate” forms of identification.
Puerto Ricans residents are regularly asked to produce birth certificates for several different purposes ranging from school registration to enrollment in sports leagues. Because of this tradition many copies of many people’s birth certificates are floating around and subject to misuse.

Incredibly 40 % of the identity fraud in America involves Puerto Rican birth certificates according the State Department. Fake certificates with Hispanic sounding names can fetch $10,000 on the black market.

Unfortunately neither the federal nor Puerto Rican governments has made any effort to warn people living in the mainland about the ramifications of this bill.

Why there have been no public announcements with the summer travel season just three months away is a mystery. What is clear is that Puerto Rico has struck a major blow for our side in our ongoing battle to keep our borders and our economy secure.

What did you do to be worthy of your American freedoms yesterday? What will you do today and what do you plan to do tomorrow?

Sources:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/27/national/w004120S43.DTL

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/27/national/w004120S43.DTL#ixzz0h2gwB3NN

Yesterday’s Rasmussen Presidential Index had Obama at –13

This day in history March 3
1938: Oil is discovered in Saudi Arabia.

Have you read this week’s “Betcha didn’t know this..” page? It’s loaded with interesting little “bite size” items you’re bound to enjoy.

Comments on this or any other Collins Report essay can be sent to kcoachc “at” gmail.com