CHICAGO (AP) — State officials say at least 50,000 Illinoisans were born in Puerto Rico and have to get new birth certificates because of a law enacted in the U.S. island commonwealth.
Puerto Rico enacted the law in December to help combat identity theft. Federal officials have said up to 40 percent of U.S. identity fraud involves birth certificates from Puerto Rico.
As of July 1, all previously issued Puerto Rican birth certificates are void. It will affect more than a third of the 4.1 million people of Puerto Rican descent living in the 50 states.
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat, says it the law is unfair and will pose a major inconvenience. But he says it will also help protect people.
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On the Net:
-Application for birth certificate
http://www.salud.gov.pr/Programas/RegistroDemografico/Pages/RequisitosparasolicituddeNacimiento.aspx
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