Posted on 09/07/2005 12:50:27 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
EL CENIZO — On the north side of the Rio Grande and about 15 miles southeast of Laredo, what started in the early 1980s as a colonia, an unincorporated development with few municipal services, celebrated its 16th birthday as the city of El Cenizo last week.
El Cenizo grew without much notice until 1999, when its leaders declared that all City Commission meetings would officially be conducted in Spanish. At the same time, a "safe haven" ordinance was passed, stating that any city employee who turned in undocumented immigrants to authorities would be fired.
Some city leaders simply didn't know English, and the commission was trying to accommodate its population — almost all of them Mexican immigrants — but ended up placing the city in conflict with mainstream American opinion and U.S. law.
The backlash was swift, taking the form of abusive phone calls encouraged by national radio talk show hosts. Federal officials said it was illegal to stop anyone from helping U.S. immigration authorities.
But to this day, both ordinances remain on the books. Official documents such as contracts and meeting agendas are in English, but commission meetings are in Spanish. But no one gets penalized for lapsing into English, because border residents often use a bilingual mix in everyday talk.
The city has an annual budget of less than $350,000, and state and federal grants have been a driving force in El Cenizo's growth.
On Wednesday, the city will announce $1.2 million in federal and state funds that will be used to pave the rest of the streets, install speed humps, put up traffic signs, create sidewalks and build new houses.
----- mcastillo@express-news.net
(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...
No welcome mat New ordianance seeks to limit Minutemen Project (El Cenizo, Texas)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1443611/posts
Is this the United States we're talking about here?
Even worse its in Texas
How exactly is this shithole booming except via government handouts. What kind of work is done there and what kind of jobs do it's residents go to or commute to?
Perhaps they go to agricultural jobs? But this feel good article says nothing.
It's a third world colony within our borders. Many residents are illegal aliens. The Mexican border moves 25 miles north each year
The Mexican toe hold in TX.
El Cenizo Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Here's an Amexican immivasion beach head on American territory.
I'm sure the quislings will be along any moment to explain why all of this is really good news...
So that's what a colonia is. Sounds a whole lot less painful than my first guess.
Write faster, my friend, write faster.
So... how strong is the Border Patrol "presence?"
Colonia is Spanish for Colony!
BTTT
Mine usually bloom a few days after a good rain.
It's BEYOND PAINFUL for California taxpayers. We pay for these bloodsuckers to the tune of 10 BILLION dollars every year.
This is exactly why I and many others have jumped off the pandering GOP ship.
Deport everyone who retains alliegance to Mexico and those who fail to grasp the concept that the government doesn't owe them a living.
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