N.M. Officials Bust Illegal-Alien ID Fraud Ring

New Mexico investigators busted a large and sophisticated fraud ring that allegedly produced fake documents for illegal aliens who wanted to obtain a state driver’s license. The scheme was initially uncovered when a Brazilian illegal alien living in Georgia called the N.M. Motor Vehicles Division to ask about her license.State Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla said the conspirators used eight rented houses as the basis for producing fake rental agreements, bank statements, utility bills and proof of insurance. One of the conspirators used her notary public status to fraudulently notarize hundreds of such documents. The ring, allegedly headed by Luis Raul Collazo-Medrano and his wife, recruited illegal aliens living in Illinois, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. They were charged $4,000 each and transported to New Mexico to get a driver’s license. The fake documents were used to obtain at least 54 licenses for illegal aliens from Mexico, El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, Uruguay and Honduras. However, investigators suspect hundreds of illegal aliens may have been helped.Padilla said that vanloads of illegal aliens will continue to travel to New Mexico until the state legislature repeals the law that allows them to obtain driver’s licenses. Gov. Susana Martinez has repeatedly asked state lawmakers to repeal the law. “Absolutely it’s given us a bad name,” Padilla said. “We’re known as the place where they can come to shop for a driver’s license. There are advertisements in Chicago, New York, New Jersey and North Carolina where they basically say there’s a commodity for sale in New Mexico, and that commodity is a New Mexico driver’s license.”Read here for more information.