NON-COVERED LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES (Details 5) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	$ 34,414	$ 33,117
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due	9,183	7,210
Total accruing past due loans	43,597	40,327
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	27,207	45,786
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	80,902	99,846
Total nonaccrual past due loans	108,109	145,632
Current loans	11,981,484	10,381,070
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	12,133,190	10,567,029
Unearned fees, premiums and discounts, net	(19,301)	(16,762)
Recorded investment in non-covered loans and loans held for sale	12,113,889	10,550,267
Interest Income Foregone on Nonaccrual Loans
Interest income that would have been recognized had nonaccrual loans performed in accordance with their original terms	7,206	9,384	12,689
Less: Interest income recognized on nonaccrual loans on a cash basis	(2,269)	(3,519)	(7,880)
Interest income foregone on nonaccrual loans	4,937	5,865	4,809
Loans Held for Sale
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due		25,655
Total nonaccrual past due loans		25,655
Current loans	174,317	252,948
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	174,317	278,603
Residential | Single-family
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	4,820	6,991
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due	2,244	1,198
Total accruing past due loans	7,064	8,189
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	1,301
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	9,809	3,569
Total nonaccrual past due loans	11,110	3,569
Current loans	2,169,149	1,784,877
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	2,187,323	1,796,635
Residential | Multifamily
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	7,127	6,366
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due	924	745
Total accruing past due loans	8,051	7,111
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	6,788	6,889
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	11,052	11,306
Total nonaccrual past due loans	17,840	18,195
Current loans	874,817	907,862
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	900,708	933,168
Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") | Income producing
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	18,118	18,179
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due	4,731	1,549
Total accruing past due loans	22,849	19,728
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	9,485	6,885
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	8,354	25,690
Total nonaccrual past due loans	17,839	32,575
Current loans	3,603,347	3,435,563
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	3,644,035	3,487,866
Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") | Construction
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due		26,482
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	27,039	14,688
Total nonaccrual past due loans	27,039	41,170
Current loans	94,550	130,240
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	121,589	171,410
Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") | Land
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due		573
Total accruing past due loans		573
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	637	1,136
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	3,984	9,589
Total nonaccrual past due loans	4,621	10,725
Current loans	124,450	161,791
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	129,071	173,089
Commercial and Industrial ("C&I") | Commercial Business
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	3,293	342
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due	316	2,957
Total accruing past due loans	3,609	3,299
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	8,068	4,394
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	14,740	6,843
Total nonaccrual past due loans	22,808	11,237
Current loans	3,542,971	2,641,381
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	3,569,388	2,655,917
Commercial and Industrial ("C&I") | Trade finance
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	500
Total accruing past due loans	500
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	429
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	2,003
Total nonaccrual past due loans	2,432
Current loans	658,945	486,555
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	661,877	486,555
Consumer | Student loans
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	71	109
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due		188
Total accruing past due loans	71	297
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due		257
Total nonaccrual past due loans		257
Current loans	475,728	305,771
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	475,799	306,325
Consumer | Other Consumer
Age analysis of past due non-covered loans and loans held for sale
Accruing loans 30 - 59 days past due	485	1,130
Accruing loans 60 - 89 days past due	968
Total accruing past due loans	1,453	1,130
Nonaccrual loans less than 90 days past due	499
Nonaccrual loans 90 or more days past due	3,921	2,249
Total nonaccrual past due loans	4,420	2,249
Current loans	263,210	274,082
Total non-covered loans and loans held for sale, gross	$ 269,083	$ 277,461