Senators call on China to stop producing fake US driver’s licenses

Four senators have called on China's U.S. ambassador to crack down on Chinese companies that are producing fake U.S. driver's licenses and other documents.

The letter to Ambassador Zhang Yesui from Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) follows a June USA Today article that said production of these fake documents is growing. The article also said the companies are making it easy for people to order fake documents online.

"Counterfeit identification documents violate our nation's laws and undermine the efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement to keep our communities safe," they wrote. "Given the obvious public safety and national security risks, we write to request that the Chinese government take immediate action against these companies."

The letter said that in 2011, more than 1,700 fake driver's licenses were seized at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, and said Chicago IDs are some of the most counterfeited. It cited one company, ID Chief, as the largest producer of fake IDs, and said these companies are clearly aware that they are breaking the law because they try to hide their fake documents when they mail them out.

"The companies understand the harm in their behavior, which is why they mail the identification documents to their customers concealed in puzzles or clothing," they wrote.

"These companies are profiting form the facilitation of crimes committed in the United States, and provide no legitimate service," they said. "We ask the Chinese government to take a strong stance and work to put an end to these companies."

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