I live in Baja. I’m an American and I own a restaurant. I employee Mexicans. I also attend a local Bilingual Church. The USA has been deporting hundreds since 911. I see the impact everyday. Mostly Mexicans who have lived in the USA for 10-15 years and never completed their visa paperwork. If they get involved in any crime they are deported and never allowed to apply again. There is supposed to be a 10 year waiting period before being able to re-apply, but with the backlog most will never be able to apply. Most could sneak back across or hire someone to take them, but they all know if they are caught they go directly to jail and most are scared of going back. So the system is working. Unfortunately there are no jobs here. The Mexican government is incapable of creating any jobs. The tourist areas are hurting the most. Until this drug cartel issue is cleared up the struggle for jobs will continue. I have heard a few sad cases where they are dumped here in TJ and don’t know anyone in Mexico. But like most Mexicans they are survivors and they have seen this all before.
It will take another 3 to 5 years to clean up this mess and their image. Once that is done the influx of Americans will start up again. It is a beautiful place to retire. There about 25,000 Americans in Baja (I think). Beautiful weather, great people, no traffic and ocean views that would cost you at a minimum $500,000 in CA. The growth of the Americans moving here and the construction of vacation homes came to a standstill about 3 years ago.
Most of the violence in Baja is in TJ. If you mess with drugs and are in TJ after 1am you will find trouble. Until the American military brings down a professional Army to train the Mexican military this will take 10 more years. The Mexican Military is not getting the support they need and do not have the discipline that the USA military has. Anyway these are my thoughts..........
OK, you “Own” a restaurant in Baja?
Are you Irish, of do you have a Lease, not ownership?
With all the Illegals that have been deported AFTER gaining education and experience in living in a country that is NOT totally corrupt it would be reasonable to expect some of them who are NOT criminally inclined to band together and create a better society.
Even if only in a single state, maybe a few rural villages, then network those villagers and improve the whole country?
But this is not happening, the opportunity is there, the will apparently is not.
Not the US's problem. We have our own intractable unemployment to worry about. It might be "only" 9.2% nationally (Labor says) but it's a lot worse in CA and other states those Mexicans might try to relocate to first.
Mexico depends too heavily on money transferred from illegal workers in the U.S. It's an oil nation with a rich culture. Rather than worrying about trying to retake "Aztlan" and voting Democrat here, they should be reforming their own nation.
Americans are staying away because of the cartel violence as much as the economic downturn. I've not been in 20 years and won't until it's cleaned up... likely not in my lifetime.
Don't you get hassled by fedrales and bandits or is that reserved for tourists?