Immigrants find opportunity in ruined New Orleans (Jeff Franks of Reuters)

Reuters ^ | 12/23/05 | Jeff Franks

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Much of New Orleans lies abandoned and destroyed after Hurricane Katrina struck nearly four months ago, but for Latin American immigrants the storm-ravaged city has become a land of opportunity.

While New Orleans residents are slow to return, the immigrants, most of them illegally in the United States, have swarmed in to do the hard work of cleaning up and rebuilding that others so far have shunned...

...And so far, the authorities have not been too difficult. Local police do not hassle them and immigration agents come around only occasionally, more a nuisance than a danger...

...Mexican Adolf Ramirez, 53, who came to New Orleans from Dallas two months ago, figured the workers were being left alone because the desperate needs in New Orleans had trumped anti-immigrant sentiments now prevalent in the United States...

...The immigrant workers do not feel too threatened by competition from the local Americans. They point to the back of the parking lot where the only "gringos" in sight are sleeping on sheets of cardboard or sitting on wooden boxes, surrounded by empty beer cans and booze bottles.

"There are a lot of drunks here," said Delgado.

When asked where the American workers were, Del Rio shook his head and said, "Who knows? It just seems like the Latin race likes to work more."

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Please write to editor@reuters.com and let them know exactly what you think about their anti-American propaganda.

[Mark was here]

The immigrant workers do not feel too threatened by competition from the local Americans. They point to the back of the parking lot where the only "gringos" in sight are sleeping on sheets of cardboard or sitting on wooden boxes, surrounded by empty beer cans and booze bottles.

"Gringos" is the mexican slur for Anglos or white people.

I suppose the gringos could get up and work, but that is what FEMA is for.

[Domangart]

I don't see anything here that has changed. No money no house repairs. The drunks living off the dole. No get up and go from some people. Used people that no one wants. Sounds like downtown.

[sgtbono2002]

After the Latins finish rebuilding their city for them the welfare creeps will come back and move into their new digs.

If New Orleans were smart they would keep the Latins and tell the lazy welfare democrats to stay the hell out of their new city.

[WasDougsLamb]

the immigrants, most of them illegally in the United States,


-----So much for all this talk of securing the borders.......

[stephenjohnbanker]

Then we will just have drunkin mexicans like we have here in california.

[isrul]

Title should read "Invaders find opportunity" not "immigrants".

[exit82]

The article says that "much of New Orleans is in ruins".

The French Quarter is OK and the downtown is pretty much back to normal. The Ninth Ward and some other areas were lost, but some areas were not flooded by the levee breakdown.

Is there a graphic that shows the parts of the city that are actually uninhabitable?

I wish they would get on with the business of rebuilding in a higher area. The area that was flooded should be turned into a park or recreation area, and new residential areas built outside the flood area. The the presently ruined areas could serve as a buffer for flooding in the next big storm.

[mad_as_he$$]

Are the drunk "gringos" any different than before Katrina? All of the cleanup in NOLA should be with D-9's and big holes.

[Mark was here]

Are the drunk "gringos" any different than before Katrina?

I would think not. Just funny that the reporter was able to pick out a group of white bums...

[gubamyster]

ping

[mthom]

"Who knows? It just seems like the Latin race likes to work more."

Obviously true. I mean just look how their home countries are thriving. Sad thing is that more than a few Freepers agree with that illegals statement.

[sheana]

Just look at any areas in towns in California that the illegals have taken over........yeah they really like to keep things clean and aesthetic. blah blah blah

[fallujah-nuker]

When asked where the American workers were, Del Rio shook his head and said, "Who knows? It just seems like the Latin race likes to work more."

A few of the Aztlan supremacists who post here make the same assertions, like all Anglos are lazy slobs who spend all day in front of an X-box while the bronzed "master race" without which America would collapse does all the work.

Some of those I pinged know what I'm talking about.

[DBeers]

There is a difference between immigrants and illegal aliens -a difference the author of this fairy tale misses intentionally...

[Sterco]

Gringos's - Greasers guess it is the same kind of slang huh?

[BobS]

"There are a lot of drunks here,"

LOL! He came from Mexico to find that out?

[Hill of Tara]

We don't need illegals here to rebuild parts of our country. Send those law breakers back to Mexico.

[Squantos]

Hmmmmm gone from "Laissez les bons temps rouler" to Lezzsee yer peso's gringo.......

[Serenissima Venezia]

It just seems like the Latin race likes to work more."

Another one of those lies spread by pro-illegal alien liberals. Just like the bit about them all having family values and doing jobs Americans won't do.

IF this were true, why aren't the schools that are filled with illegal's offspring having stellar scores on state tests instead of always being well below schools with primarily white students? IF this is true, why do statistics show that income levels for 2nd and 3rd generation Mexicans stagnate, instead of increase like the children of immigrants from other parts of the world? IF this is true, why do the parts of East Bakersfield that are heavily Mexican look like a third world country, with dirty streets, dirty children, and dirty buildings?

BTW, I need a better adjective than 'Latino', because I find the term insulting to those that come from the original Latin countries, like Italy and Spain. So, I used the term 'Mexican' here because 90%+ of our illegals are from Mexico, but I'd like a short adjective that is more accurate.

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

"When asked where the American workers were, Del Rio shook his head and said, "Who knows? It just seems like the Latin race likes to work more.""

Some day we will build a big fence to keep these people out, but not today... we are to lazy.

[raybbr]

When asked where the American workers were, Del Rio shook his head and said, "Who knows? It just seems like the Latin race likes to work more."

No, you lying sack of s41t. They were moved out to other parts of the country.

[raybbr]

So, I used the term 'Mexican' here because 90%+ of our illegals are from Mexico, but I'd like a short adjective that is more accurate.

George Bush calls them the "new Americans".

​ ​​​​We are now one of the largest Spanish-speaking nations in the world. We're a major source of Latin music, journalism and culture.

Just go to Miami, or San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago or West New York, New Jersey ... and close your eyes and listen. You could just as easily be in Santo Domingo or Santiago, or San Miguel de Allende.

For years our nation has debated this change -- some have praised it and others have resented it. By nominating me, my party has made a choice to welcome the new America.

George Bush from a campaign speech in Miami, August 2000.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Wish I had heard/seen this speech before I voted. Actually, I knew he was for a guest worker program, but I was foolish enough to believe it was just campaign rhetoric and that he couldn't possibly mean it. Believe me, that will not happen again! Nobody will be getting my vote again until they come out strongly against illegal immigration with clear steps on how to stop it.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

The article says that "much of New Orleans is in ruins".

And like the Phoenix, Nuevo Orleans rises from the ashes with it previous historic French influence replaced with its historic Spanish influence.

[waiver]

"Gringos" is the mexican slur for Anglos or white people.

Wrong, Gringo is the mexican word for American, you can be black and gringo, white and gringo, asian and gringo or even hispanic and gringo.

[Mark was here]

Wrong, Gringo is the mexican word for American, you can be black and gringo, white and gringo, asian and gringo or even hispanic and gringo.

I beg your pardon, but I grew up in El Paso, and was called "Gringo" enough times to know what it means. According to your logic "Chicanos" would also be gringos.

[blackie]

Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Support our Minutemen Patriots!

Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!

[Saints fan]

Is there a graphic that shows the parts of the city that are actually uninhabitable?

Look to your previous sentence.

The French Quarter is OK and the downtown is pretty much back to normal.

The other 80% is uninhabitable.

[exit82]

Thanks, Saints fan.

Our MSM has ben abysmal is helping us to understand the scope of things. I like maps and quantification. I don't hysterical reporters and reporterettes making sweeping generalizations.

Happy New Year to you!

[Saints fan]

Happy New Year to you too exit82.You are right, the reporting is indeed abysmal.They only report about the French Quarter which is back to normal and the rest of the country now thinks New Orleans is fine.Believe me, it will be a long time before New Orleans is fine. BTW, the part of the city you say should be made into a park is my own neigborhood. I don't want to live in a park. Again, Happy New Year. Let's hope 2006 is a better year than 2005.

[mamatrain]

On CNN Anderson Cooper last night, he gave statistics and percentages of the numbers of blacks vs immigrants in New Orleans to date. It said the number of immigrants is up 20% compared to 3% prior to Katrina. While blacks are moving out or not coming back, the Mexicans are moving in. Does anyone know where these numbers can be found. I looked all over CNN website and could not find them.