Posted on 12/21/2008 1:17:30 PM PST by BGHater
Job opportunities declining, perceived anti-immigrant sentiment named causes
Many Mexicans increasingly feel unwelcome in Colorado because of a perceived anti-immigrant sentiment, and some are looking back home for opportunities as the economy here sours, Denver’s Mexican consul general says.
“What I’ve found is that in our communities,with few exceptions, there’s a sense that the state is not friendly toward immigrants, that they don’t feel welcomed and that they encounter this feeling of, ‘I don’t like you but I need you,”’ Eduardo Arnal said during a recent interview in Spanish.
Arnal said that in his travels around Colorado people tell him about losing their jobs as the state’s major employers — the construction and service industries — have seen a decline.
“We don’t have statistics, but I can tell you with certainty that Mexicans are abandoning Colorado,” he said. “And for a variety of reasons, one being that they are not able to find jobs, they’re looking for other places and some even considering returning to Mexico definitely. Added to that is the fact that many don’t consider the state a friendly place for immigrants.”
The U.S. Census suggests a drop, too. According to its data, there were an estimated 240,754 Mexicans in Colorado in 2005. That number increased in 2006 to 254,844 but fell to an estimated 243,253 in 2007.
Arnal, a former Mexican congressman and member of President Felipe Calderon’s transition team, was named Denver’s consul general in August 2007. His office serves Colorado, and he supervises consulates in Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Nebraska, Idaho, South Dakota and North Dakota.
To date, Arnal has visited 59 of the state’s 64 counties. It is partly from those visits, aimed at establishing ties with local law enforcement and businesses, that he has drawn his own conclusions about the feelings of Mexican immigrants.
(Excerpt) Read more at summitdaily.com ...
Ya think? Maybe you should give interviews in English.
OH I feel so bad!
(Don’t let the door hit you in the Ars!
For the last time -- it isn't anti-immigrant, it is anti-ILLEGAL-immigrant. And that ain't no perception.
>>Added to that is the fact that many don’t consider the state a friendly place for immigrants.”
-Legal or illegal? Just once would I love to hear from these “immigrant organizations”(and this mexican) to just add one of the 2 descriptions instead of bunching everyone of us who waited years to acquire permanent resident status.
The illegal presence of thugs and criminals bringing crime, drugs and disease into the country and they feel unloved? I couldn’t be more shocked.
Gee who wouldn’t like someone who uses our tax funded programs without giving anything in return. Who wouldn’t like someone who send 50% of their money out of the country?
In the very recent past money sent back to mexico comprised a very large part of their GDP. Thats money taken out of our economy forever.
Message to conservatives:
Move to Colorado before it is too late!
Illegals aren’t immigrants. They are intruders, vandals, breaking into our home to rape, pillage and plunder. We don’t need them.
I will hold the imaginary gate to the imaginary fence open for them to return to their homeland.
“there’s a sense that the state is not friendly toward immigrants”
In contrast, of course, with the warm welcome Mexico provides the Hondurans, Guatemalans et al who arrive uninvited at Mexico’s southern border.
Ah. Much more precise and truthful now.
Adios, y no deje que la pantalla de puerta le golpeó de salida.
(Bye, and don’t let the screen door hit you on the way out.)
Regards . . . Penny
“Message to conservatives:
Move to Colorado before it is too late!”
Too late for who? The conservatives that are moving here, or the conservatives that are already here?
It’s not like we’re the only state that has this problem. That being said, any conservative that wants to come, is welcome. We can certainly use the reinforcements.
I think the illegals are leaving Colorado for Texas. What can I do to make them feel unwelcome?
I went shopping here in Northern Colorado and I didn’t experience any dearth of “Immigrants”. Everywhere I looked I was surrounded by “Immigrants” many of them sporting those trendy gang tattoos. A pox upon their house.
Hey, I went to “MexOnline.com” (no I’m not making this up!) to find the Mex consulate in Denver:
They lost their web address!
“consulmex-denver.com” is a dead-end!!!
In more ways than one...
But you can always call them at (303) 331-1110 to let that jackass Eduardo Arnal know what you think.
I noticed the same thing when I went to the Walmart in Fort Collins (just passing through, mind you). I guess I won't have to visit Mexico for awhile. Within an hour I had a years worth of that “international experience”.
Quite different than when I lived there 25 years ago. Back then, it was really an idyllic college town nested against the foothills. It's still nested against the foothills.
Is it me, or does it seem like a higher percentage of people in Mexico speak English than in Fort Collins? I actually felt safer in Mexico when I was going down there once a week for six months (I obviously flew OVER the border towns).
No sympathy from me for illegals leaving...usually when lawbreakers move en masse to an area, the current residents are usually not happy about it...esp when lawbreakers take away jobs and add crime
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