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Pictured (L to R): J. Abel Sanchez-Guerrero, Consulate
of Mexico-Community and Cultural Affairs Department;
Mariza Sanchez, Credit Union ONE-Southwest Detroit
Assistant Branch Manager; Vicente Sanchez Ventura,
Consul of Mexico; Gary Moody, President/CEO-Credit
Union ONE; Yvette Gonzalez, Credit Union ONE-
Southwest Detroit Branch Manager
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Ferndale, Michigan – Earlier this month, Credit Union ONE began to accept the Matricula Consular de Mexico card (“Matricula”) as a form of identification to establish membership at its Southwest Detroit Branch. The card is an identification card issued by the Mexican consulate to Mexican nationals. It is primarily issued to Mexican citizens residing outside of Mexico.
Credit Union ONE has operated a branch in Southwest Detroit for decades, and recently determined that access to financial services for Mexican citizens living and working in the community was not being met due to challenges with obtaining appropriate identification. “Changes to state laws and federal laws to combat terrorism and money laundering made opening an account impossible. Matricula offers us the ability to assure access to services while also being compliant with various laws,” said Yvette Gonzalez, Branch Manager of the Southwest Branch.
Credit Union ONE is among a small group of credit unions that accept the Matricula Consular de Mexico card as a form of acceptable identification to open an account and establish membership. It has gained in popularity as an acceptable form of identification at other institutions around the country since the introduction of many enhanced security features. The credit union hopes that acceptance of Matricula and its partnership with the Federal Reserve funds transfer program known as Directo a Mexico, will open up more opportunities for membership in the Southwest area.
“The Mexican Consulate in Detroit welcomes this initiative from Credit Union ONE to accept the Matricula Consular as a form of identification, which allows opening an account. It is a concern of this office to ensure the banking services are made available for our Mexican community in Detroit among other cities. We are certain, that this program will benefit our community as a whole. In the meantime, the consulate will continue to collaborate with Credit Union ONE to craft ideas like this one for our community benefit,” said Vicente Sanchez Ventura, Consul of Mexico.
“Mexican citizens who have strong family ties to the community regularly move between the U.S. and Mexico to follow work. It is critical for these people to establish account relationships to make deposits, save, and in many cases move funds to relatives in Mexico. This is about proving safe, secure, low cost financial services to an important and sometimes vulnerable segment of the community,” said Gary Moody, President and CEO of Credit Union ONE.
The credit union has plans in the future to expand the number of locations at which it will accept Matricula as a valid form of identification.
Credit Union ONE, headquartered in Ferndale Michigan for over seventy years, offers a wide array of financial services and access to over 28,000 ATM’s nationwide, serving 106,000 members, with eighteen offices in three major metropolitan areas, including Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. For more information go to cuone.org or "like us" on Facebook
Contact Judi Desilets, Director of Public Relations for Credit Union ONE, 248-584-5224, Judi_Desilets@cuone.org
