Ohio refusing some older Puerto Rican birth certificates; national Latino group charges racism

Ohio restricting Puerto Rican birth certificates

COLUMBUS, Ohio — People born in Puerto Rico are finding some birth certificates from the U.S. territory are not being accepted when applying for an Ohio driver’s license or state ID.

Since early April, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles has refused to consider Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before Jan. 1 as proof of identity. The agency says the policy reflects the island’s move to replace all its previously issued birth certificates following thefts of records.

The old certificates are supposed to be good until Sept. 30.

State officials say Ohio’s policy is meant to prevent fraud.

A national Latino group charges the state’s policy smacks of racism. The motor vehicle bureau says the agency also is careful with other birth certificates and won’t, for example, accept ones from Indiana that don’t list gender.