Keep your money safe

Undocumented immigrants are not only financially active in this country, they also help to make up the rich fabric of our society. Many pay taxes while also sending remittances back to their home countries and supporting their families here.

Undocumented immigrants can also be business owners and job providers. Many work two or three jobs.

But many undocumented immigrants don’t have accounts in banks or credit unions due in large part to misinformation, including the belief they don’t have enough savings to meet the minimum balance required, or that they are not eligible because they lack formal employment and legal immigration status.

In the U.S., undocumented immigrants do have financial rights and can have access to the formal financial system. Lacking legal immigration status does not come in the way of you opening a bank account, obtaining credit or even starting a business.

Currently, undocumented immigrants can open a bank or credit union account using a variety of different forms of identification, and can also become business owners.

In fact, anyone who has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, can file taxes using this identification instead of a Social Security number (SSN).

It’s also possible to open an account using a variety of different IDs, such as consular identification card, unexpired passport or the easily attainable IDNYC card.

But given the current political climate, undocumented immigrants are asking themselves