Mexicans Rethink Holiday Visits Home

Chicago Tribune | Dec. 18, 2001 | Teresa Puente

[tom paine 2]

Extra security measures and increased border patrols are keeping many of the Chicago area's undocumented Mexican immigrants from making their annual pilgrimages home for Christmas family reunions.

The additional security at the U.S.-Mexico border was designed to keep out terrorists. But some undocumented immigrants, here and around the country, fear that if they go to Mexico they won't be able to get back into the U.S.

"Right now it's very hard to cross. It's better to stay here in Chicago until this whole things passes," said Miguel Becerra, 28, a factory worker from Aguascalientes.

[tom paine 2]

Hey INS I know where you can round up a bunch of illegal immigrants. Go to the Mexican Consulate in Chicago, they're all standing there. They even want to go back to Mexico. We could help them achieve their goal.

[meenie]

The law of unintended consequences is working perfectly. We tighten up the borders and keep them here. Close the barn door after the horses get out. It's going to take some time to work out of the problems that years of neglect have caused.

[PLK]

Quite frankly, I am happy more Mexicans are remaining in the U.S. this Christmas. In school systems with large Mexican immigrant populations, there is always a rise in the incidence of Hepatitis A following the break because the kids bring it back from Mexico with them. Good news.

[dtom]

Here in Chicago it's a well know fact that the Chicago police under orders from King Richard II will not report illegal immigrant to the INS when they are picked up on small misdemeanor charges.

[crystalk]

It seems like this consulate needs much more help, and it looks like a pool of cheap and available Spanish-speaking labor to help them out, is right there on their doorstep. Why don't they hire a hundred or two of them?

[FITZ]

I was just talking to the neighbor's gardener ---a bunch of them are going for vacations in Mexico for one month but they aren't worried about getting back, it's still not difficult.