wells fargo

Wells Fargo: profiting from illegal immigration

One of the Big Four banks in the U.S., Wells Fargo was one of the first to seek to profit from illegal immigration. They sought to open bank accounts for illegal aliens and they've sought to give home loans to illegal aliens (see also mortgage mess). In 2008, WellsFargo bought Wachovia Bank which was arguably even more crooked.

Banks like Wells Fargo seeking profits from illegal activity relates to political corruption; see immigration banks for the details.

See also: Bank of America, Chase Bank, CitiBank, Bank of the West, American Bankers Association, Bank One, Cardinal Bank, Cathay Bank, and City National Bank.

Last modified Dec 20, 2011
Discussed in (click each link for the full post):

Center for American Progress corporate funders and immigration - 12/14/13

The leftwing Center for American Progress has released a list of their corporate funders for 2013 [1]. Several of the funders have a financial interest in higher immigration and in comprehensive immigration reform.

Wachovia Bank admits laundering billions in illegal drug profits (+Bank of America; Wells Fargo) - 07/05/10

From this: [Wachovia Bank]... made a habit of helping move money for Mexican drug smugglers. Wells Fargo & Co., which bought Wachovia in 2008, has admitted in court that its unit failed to monitor and report suspected money laundering by narcotics traffickers... The admission came in an agreement that Charlotte, North Carolina-based Wachovia struck with federal prosecutors in March... Wachovia admitted it didn’t do enough to spot illicit funds in handling $378.4 billion for Mexican-currency-exchange houses from 2004 to 2007. That’s the largest violation of the Bank Secrecy Act, an anti-...

Doug Irving /OCR, United Way help banks profit from illegally-earned money - 02/01/10

At the end of 2008, Arnold Schwarzenegger launched "Bank on California", a California state program that encouraged the "unbanked" to open bank accounts. Since the "unbanked" are largely illegal aliens and since their wages are earned illegally, California's governor is using state resources to help private companies profit from illegal activity. Now, Doug Irving of the Orange County Register offers "Poorest of poor urged to use banks" (link) about an affiliated local effort called "Bank on Santa Ana" (bankonsantaana.ca.gov). In his report, he tells his readers nothing about the immigration...

"Bank on Los Angeles": city helps corrupt banks profit from illegal activity - 03/25/09

The City of Los Angeles recently announced a new public-private partnership called "Bank on Los Angeles" (bankonla.com) that's designed to help 10,000 low-income residents who don't have bank accounts ("the unbanked") open up accounts. It's also open to illegal aliens [1], and that means that Los Angeles City will be encouraging corruption by helping major banks profit from money that was earned illegally.

Mark Weisenmiller/AFP's story about illegal aliens being robbed: planted to help banks? - 01/26/09

Mark Weisenmiller of the Agence France Presse (AFP) offers "Hispanic illegal immigrants hit by wave of robberies in US" (link). It appears to be a planted story designed to help banks profit from illegal immigration, but we'll never know exactly why it's being offered now: Thieves are increasingly targeting Hispanic illegal immigrants who are reluctant to report robberies to the police for fear of deportation, US activists and law enforcement agencies say. ...But advocate groups and police departments are trying to spread the word that illegal immigrants will not face deportation if they...

San Francisco approves ID card; corruption in plain sight; Tom Ammiano? - 11/14/07

The San Francisco Supervisors have approved a city ID card for everyone, including illegal aliens (link). While this will be sold as either a wacky plan from the far-left or a common-sense solution, the more likely reason this was pushed through is hiding in plain sight: [Bill author, supervisor Tom Ammiano] said banking institutions in San Francisco have signaled their willingness to accept the municipal ID card for the purpose of setting up accounts. He noted that people without bank accounts are frequently more vulnerable to theft and robbery. Officials with the city's Bank on San...

More proof GOP is corrupt, lacks differentiation from Democrats (Giuliani, Minuteman flyer) - 08/07/07

From this: Rudy Giuliani's southwest political director [Chris Gulugian-Taylor] left a top position [executive director] at the Nevada Republican Party last year after breaking rules by advertising a Minuteman border patrol rally in internal GOP e-mails. The notices publicizing a "Stop the Illegal Invasion" rally in October 2006 outraged some Hispanic Republicans in the state, who said they feared it would alienate voters in the nation's fastest growing minority group just weeks before elect

Pro-illegal immigration performance art (funding by Bank of America and Wells Fargo) - 03/21/07

Observe, if you will, this picture: Here's the explanation: Families affected by a series of federal immigration raids this month spoke out in San Rafael on Tuesday at a news conference that showcased them as silhouetted subjects shrouded behind a privacy screen. Hosted by Canal Alliance at a building adjacent to its headquarters on Larkspur Street, the bizarre question-and-answer session - featuring men, women and children assigned pseudonyms - was aimed at telling their stories while hiding their identities to protect them from possible deportation, organizers said... Those "in the...

Wells Fargo considers credit cards for illegal aliens - 02/27/07

Apparently, Chris Casacchia of the Business Journal of Phoenix contacted various banks asking whether - like Bank of America - they were going to give credit cards to illegal aliens. A JPMorgan Chase & Co. spokeswoman said they have no such plans. Compass Bank "were not prepared to comment" for the story. However, as could be expected, the bank that put support for illegal immigration on the map says that they're considering it. Wells Fargo vice president of regional banking communications Marge Rice says: "We are exploring the possibility of offering unsecured credit cards to Wells Fargo...

Wells Fargo knows many of its customers are illegal aliens - 02/14/07

The not-exactly-in-depth L.A. Times article "Banking on illegal immigrants" by E. Scott Reckard, David Streitfeld and Adrian G. Uribarri discusses the backlash to Bank of America's credit card for illegal aliens. It informs us: "At face value the program seems to be problematic," said Russ Knocke, a [Department of Homeland Security] spokesman. "It seems to be lending itself to possibilities of perpetrating identity theft or creating more risk for money laundering." ...[Rep. Tom Tancredo] said he sent a letter to U.S. Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales and Department of Homeland Security...

Jared Polis, Colorado Springs awarded by Mexican government (Ohtli award) - 12/02/06

Jared Polis is a dotcom multimillionaire who serves as Vice-Chairman of the Colorado State Board of Education. He's also donated large sums of cash to "liberal" causes and candidates. Last year, that Board produced Colorado's guide for illegal aliens, and Polis is also involved with ProgressNow. On November 20, Polis' hard work paid off, as he was given Mexico's "Ohtli" award by their local consul general, Juan Marcos Gutierrez. As shall become clear, receiving that award might be considered a strong indication that the recipient is a Fifth Columnist: ...The award is the highest Mexican...

Don't do business with Wells Fargo - 11/02/06

As detailed here many times, Wells Fargo bank has been a strong supporter of illegal immigration by letting illegal aliens open accounts. The site Embargo Wells Fargo has a handy round up of links about their activities.

Pahrump anti-illegal immigration ordinance; bucks rotting in the banks? - 10/12/06

The city of Pahrump Nevada - former home to Art Bell - is considering a "Hazleton-style" ordinance, but with the additional twist of trying to block banks from doing business with illegal aliens.

Wells Fargo and illegal activity - 07/20/06

Rep. Elton Gallegly offers "U.S. banking policies foster immigration lawlessness" (link): While a strong presence on our southern border is imperative, the border cannot be secured unless we enforce our internal laws and stop ignoring the open complicity of U.S. companies and foreign nations to promote illegal activities.

remesamex.gob.mx features Bank of "America", Wells Fargo, and Western Union - 03/02/06

Continuing their slow marcha into the 19th century, Mexican officials have announced a new website that will go online in May. It's located at remesamex.gob.mx, and it's intended for Mexican citizens who are living in the U.S. Can you guess what it's about? If you've been following along, you're right!

Citibank "recruiting" illegal aliens for home loans - 02/06/06

Hello, Democrats! You want to talk about corruption? How about talking about a form of corruption that will actually resonate with most Americans? From "Home-buying program has cash, controversy. Undocumented residents being recruited for loans": ACORN members, advocates on housing issues for low-and moderate-income people and Citibank have quietly recruited applicants in the county for more than a year... But the market is vast and the level of interest in the program is high, especially since the loans typically offer below-market interest rates, down-payment assistance and require no...

Wells Fargo gives home loans to illegal aliens - 01/25/06

From this (very similar report here): Wells Fargo is first major California lender to offer home loans to illegal immigrants, 10News reported. "We're not required to ask the immigration status of any of our customers.

Killers target "immigrants", guess what happens next - 10/01/05

Illegal aliens in Georgia were the targets of a burglary spree, including five murders: "Police: Killers target immigrants". The killers reportedly spoke English, although if there is any clue to their race that hasn't been provided. Let's examine this paragraph and use that as a clue to what might happen next: Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington stressed that the attacks didn't appear to be hate crimes.

Is corruption a Republican value? - 08/26/05

In a perfect world the Democrats would have a brain and would oppose illegal immigration.

Help Ben Kelly, Ben Baeder, and Jessica Langdon do their jobs - 08/21/05

Ben Kelly and Ben Baeder work for the San Gabriel Valley [CA] Tribune, which offers us "Bank's business plan spurs local protest".

Embracing corruption (Brian Grow, Business Week) - 07/10/05

Business Week has a long article entitled "Embracing Illegals" (businessweek . com/magazine/content/05_29/b3943001_mz001.htm), all about the major U.S. corporations that are profiting off illegal immigration. Is it an expose? Well, no. In fact it reads more like BW promoting a wonderful new market, and describing how those corporations are basically thumbing their noses at what Americans want.

"Mexican residents gain ID benefits" - 05/20/05

There's so much wrong with this May 1 article from Oregon that I don't know where to start: For the first time in Ashland - and with no questions about immigration status - Mexican-born residents of the valley flocked to get a highly valued card called the matricula consular, a secure ID card that enables them to open bank accounts, get a driver's license and start on the road to work and legal residency. Wow.

"New ID Cards Help Immigrants Keep Their Money Safe" - 09/30/04

The following is an alleged news report from Austin TX's KXAN: The Mexican consulate has announced a program which puts a face, literally, on thousands of Mexican immigrants. Authorities say something as simple as an identification card will save money and lives. It's an important day for immigrants. Many of them live and work in the shadows, with no formal identification card and no place to put their money.

Opponents of 'Protect Arizona Now': funded by a check-cashing firm - 07/08/04

The 'Protect Arizona Now' initiative seeks to limit illegal immigration by requiring proof of citizenship before voting or receiving some public handouts.

"Mexican ID opens doors for undocumented workers in U.S." - 02/21/03

I created a thread here about the Dallas Morning News article "Mexican ID opens doors for undocumented workers in U.S." (link). The subtitle of the article is 'Critics say 'matricula' is a tool to facilitate illegal immigration', which in a way summarizes the whole article: it's mostly pro-Matricula Consular, with a few anti-MC comments thrown in for a semblance of balance. Of particular note: