House Bill would Block Credit Cards for Illegals

One of the most conservative members of Congress is looking to close the loophole that allows Bank of America and others to offer credit cards to people who lack proper Social Security documentation: ostensibly, illegal immigrants.

The Photo Identification Security Act, HR 1314, was introduced Monday with Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) as the primary sponsor.  The main thrust of the bill is to require photo identification in the form of a state-issued driver’s license (accompanied by a Social Security card) or a passport in the credit card application process.

Paying homage to past political sloganeering, Blackburn said in a statement Monday, “You can’t get a Visa without a visa.”  She also said, “This bill closes a critical loophole that banking institutions have used to circumvent the letter of the law they have used to target illegal aliens as a new source of revenue.”

Spokesindividuals from Bank of America have repeatedly said they are, in fact, following the letter of the law through their program, bringing into question the definition of “letter.”

In its most recent rankings, the National Journal scored Blackburn as the 6th most conservative member of the 429 members House of Representatives that were ranked.