A group that claims it's the Indiana chapter of the Minuteman Project, a group of volunteers that are trying to stop illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexican border, were protesting at Bank Calumet in Hammond, Ind. yesterday. They're upset because this bank lets people with an Individual Taxpayer ID Number transfer money to friends and family in other countries, open a bank account, and apply for a mortgage. (Illegal immigrants are issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers by the IRS so they can pay taxes and file tax returns.)
On Aug. 16, Bank Calumet launched a Web site in Spanish and a Hammond couple were introduced as the first to secure a mortgage through Bank Calumet's pilot program by using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (Fifth Third Bank and Harris Bank also have done Individual Taxpayer Identification Number loans, but not in Northwest Indiana).
Almost all Hammond banks now accept the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and a Mexican-government issued identification card (a matricula consular) to open savings and checking accounts.
The Minuteman Project should keep their noses out of money that's not theirs.
Protesters at Hammond bank: No loans for illegal immigrants
Bank Calumet defends loan program, says goal is to promote home ownership
BY KEITH BENMAN
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