Chairman. today. during the consideration of H.R. 3915. the Mortgage Reform and AntiPredatory Lending Act of 2007 I voted against the Motion to Recommit forthwith. If passed. that motion would have required anyone seeking to get a residential mortgage loan to produce one of four forms of identification prior to approval. a Social Security card and picture ID. a Real ID drivers license. a U.S. or foreign passport or an ID card issued by the Department of Homeland Security. I am opposed to giving illegal immigrants access to mortgages. However. the language contained in the Motion to Recommit forthwith would not only have failed to meet the goal of denying mortgages to illegal immigrants. but it could have actually made it more difficult for legal citizens of New York and other states to obtain these same housing funds. The motion could have made it more difficult for people from states that have not yet adopted Real ID standards or do not have ready access to other documentation to qualify. However. any illegal immigrant with a passport from their native country would have no difficulty in using that passport to get a mortgage. That is not the kind of requirement we want or need. I believe it is important that Americans have the opportunity to qualify for mortgages. Owning ones home is a vital part of the American dream. I cannot and will not support legislation that will make it more difficult for citizens and legal immigrants to get mortgages. and easier for illegal immigrants to do so. This motion would have done just that. and as a result I could not support it.
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illegal immigrants illegal immigrant immigrants