A Fraudulent Home Birth Registration A Typical Case NAPHSIS – San Diego – June 2006

SUMMARY: On or about October 25, 2004, Arizona’s Office of Vital Records received information from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that Jose Luis _____ was born in Mexico and not in Arizona as his home-birth certificate states. Subsequent OVR and CBP investigations substantiated this allegation.

Jose was arrested when he applied for admission at San Luis, Arizona POE. The CBP investigator located the Mexican birth certificate and the old I-181 records. He forwarded that information to Arizona Vital Records.

In 2003 the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) notified us that an imposter had attempted entry into the United States using this Arizona birth certificate. EPIC returned the document to us, and we flagged the birth record. Research found that we have issued at least 6 copies of this certificate.

On April 10, 1984, Jose’s mother filed a home birth certificate with Yuma County. Mom listed Jose’s place of birth as Somerton, Arizona Note the mother’s street address.

This is Jose’s Mexican birth certificate. This was filed on January 10, 1984 (less than one month after his date of birth and three months before the Arizona certificate was filed) and states he was born in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. Note the address of both parents is in National City, CA.

On January 14, 1984, Jose’s mother filed a Form I-181 at San Isidro, California. This is an application to create a record of permanent alien residence. A “Green Card.” Mom listed Jose’s place of birth as San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. The street a address is in National City, CA.

On January 23, 2006, we issued Jose a letter by certified mail advising him that we had voided his Arizona birth certificate based on the discovery of the Mexican birth certificate, the I-181, the false information on the Arizona certificate, and the findings of the CBP investigation.

Under Arizona law, the registrant must be given an opportunity to appeal this action. The registrant has 30 days to file an appeal or the action becomes final.

Jose did not appeal. His birth certificate is now sealed. Any application for a certified copy will result in a “No Record” response.

What’s the Point? Had it not been for CBP bringing the findings of their investigation to our attention, we may have never known that this birth was fraudulently registered. Establishing and nurturing communication with local, state and federal law enforcement is essential. The establishment of a security coordinator in your office can help greatly in the development of these relationships.

Thank You Doug Leach