NC Allegedly Allowed Illegals to be Notaries
According to a Daily Caller report dated September 2016, North Carolina allegedly allowed illegal immigrants to become notaries.
The situation was discovered when The North State Journal called a staffer at the Secretary of State's office to ask if an illegal immigrant who had one of President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) work permits could use the permit as proof of ID to become a notary. The staffer in the Secretary of State's notary public section answered that yes, a copy of a DACA work permit would satisfy residency requirements to become a notary public.
However, according to North Carolina state notary public law, a notary applicant must "reside legally in the United States." The DACA does not confer legal residency status.
Another key provision of the state law is that the applicant for notary public must speak, read and write English. The North State Journal reported that a notary student told them that fellow notary students required a translator during class time. The student raised this issue with the community college where the notary class was held and the non-English speaking students were removed from class.
The situation was discovered when The North State Journal called a staffer at the Secretary of State's office to ask if an illegal immigrant who had one of President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) work permits could use the permit as proof of ID to become a notary. The staffer in the Secretary of State's notary public section answered that yes, a copy of a DACA work permit would satisfy residency requirements to become a notary public.
However, according to North Carolina state notary public law, a notary applicant must "reside legally in the United States." The DACA does not confer legal residency status.
Another key provision of the state law is that the applicant for notary public must speak, read and write English. The North State Journal reported that a notary student told them that fellow notary students required a translator during class time. The student raised this issue with the community college where the notary class was held and the non-English speaking students were removed from class.
