Bob Menendez: “this amendment may seem by the way it was just described rather innocuous, but it is rather outrageous. It is a thinly…”

“this amendment may seem by the way it was just described rather innocuous, but it is rather outrageous. It is a thinly veiled attempt to end something called the matricula consular. To start with, this amendment could create a negative boomerang effect on the United States. The amendment tells other countries' consulates what they can and cannot do above and beyond existing law. Do we want other countries to do the same to us? Do we want other countries to tell our consulates how we can relate to our own citizens abroad? This is an unprecedented attempt to change how a country can relate to its own nationals in a host country. I think it is a patently improper interpretation of the Foreign Missions Act and the Vienna Convention on Consular Affairs. The amendment would set a dangerous precedent for our embassies abroad. But let me get to the core issue. This amendment is another anti- immigration tactic designed to get rid of the matricula consular. Basically, they have loaded this amendment with requirements that are unreasonable for workers in this country to be able to achieve. How can migrant workers be expected to notify their own mission within 30 days every time they move? And we expect poor people from rural areas to produce all of the records that they suggest. This makes no sense. And then in a final attempt to completely get rid of the matricula consular, they included a punishment so strong that many countries might simply stop using it.”