(Analyst's note:  Extremely troubling.  Catalina Island, near California, in addition to being uses to smuggle illegal drugs into the U.S. is now being used by the Mexican government as a location to issue matricular cards to provide identification to illegals immigrants to the U.S.  There is not a central database to track the recipients of these matricular cards that make it easier to stay in the United States -- the cards are thus used to open bank accounts, often duplicated, as well as used in forgery and other abuses.  In order to try and achieve protection under the Geneva Convention, this consular office is now most recently operating out of a local Catholic Church on the island.)

"[...] The matricular consular identification card, is issued by the Mexican government to Mexican nationals residing outside the country, regardless of immigration status. The purpose is to provide identification for opening bank accounts and obtaining other services. But the cards are usually used to skirt U.S. immigration laws, since Mexicans in the country legally have documents proving that status [...]"