Unbanked and illegal
Many of the immigrants surveyed said they lacked the
identification papers needed to open bank accounts,
while others said they shunned banks because of
hidden fees and the large penalties for bounced
checks. Some immigrants said that banks’ hours
and locations were inconvenient and some said
they could not wait for a week for their paychecks
to clear.
...
Since November, New Labor has provided cards to
200 immigrant members, including some who are
here illegally. Three other centers — in Hempstead,
N.Y., Chicago and Los Angeles — have begun
offering the cards as well, and organizers say they
hope to make them available to tens of thousands
of immigrants at 140 worker centers nationwide
within the next few years.
-- STEVEN GREENHOUSE, NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.
[via NYT]