Mexicans Miss Money From Relatives Up North

NY Times ^ | October 26, 2007 | By ELISABETH MALKIN

[DeaconBenjamin]

EL RODEO, Mexico — For years, millions of Mexican migrants working in the United States have sent money back home to villages like this one, money that allows families to pay medical bills and school fees, build houses and buy clothes or, if they save enough, maybe start a tiny business.

But after years of strong increases, the amount of migrant money flowing to Mexico has stagnated. From 2000 to 2006, remittances grew to nearly $24 billion a year from $6.6 billion, rising more than 20 percent some years. In 2007, the increase so far has been less than 2 percent.

Migrants and migration experts say a flagging American economy and an enforcement campaign against illegal workers in the United States have persuaded some migrants not to try to cross the border illegally to look for work. Others have decided to return to Mexico. And many of those who are staying in the United States are sending less money home.

* * *

But in Mexico, families are feeling squeezed.

Estrella Rivera, a slight 27-year-old in this stone-paved village in Guanajuato state in central Mexico, was hoping to use the money her husband, Alonso, sent back from working illegally in Texas to build a small clothing shop at the edge of her garden.

But a month ago, Mr. Rivera returned home. His hours at a Dallas window-screen factory were cut and rumors spread that he would inevitably have to produce a valid Social Security number. Now, he works odd jobs or tends cornfields. Mrs. Rivera’s shop is indefinitely delayed, a pile of bricks stacked on the grass.

Like Mr. Rivera, some of the men who went to work in the United States illegally have returned discouraged. And less work means less money to send home...

[DeaconBenjamin]

More good news!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Perhaps these hardworking folks can build their own economy. Good all around.

[ikka]

Mrs. Rivera’s shop is indefinitely delayed, a pile of bricks stacked on the grass.

What, they can't afford mortar? Mr. Rivera doesn't know how to put bricks on top of one another to make a wall?

[org.whodat]

The slimes just keep rewriting the same old sob story, they just make up a new , so called, victim ever week are so.

[SatinDoll]

This is to be expected. But the good news is that the Mexican economy is growing at +5% annually. Those guys should be able to find work nearer home.

[SteveMcKing]

"His hours at a Dallas window-screen factory were cut"

How many window-screen factories operate in Dallas? I call that a hot lead to investigate...

[JennysCool]

Exactly. Get tough on the deep-seated corruption and Mexico could have one of the world’s most thriving economies.

[toddlintown]

“His hours at a Dallas window-screen factory were cut...”

I thought Global Warming would take care of this pressing problem in the window-screen industry.

I’m going to short my window-screen industry stocks in tomorrow’s pre-market.

[chaos_5]

if they save enough, maybe start a tiny business.

Taco stand?

I'm getting tired of all the blame for Mexico's economic woes been put on our immigration policies. I think it's time Mexicans stood up and demanded reform of MEXICO!

[Vigilanteman]

I've often felt that if Mexico could open up their country to colonization by American hippies in search of cheap drugs and sex, we could open up our country to their most ambitious and hardworking people in return.

We could unload our 1960's leftovers. Their social security and pension checks could go farther. And we could select Mexico's best and brightest to help our economy rather than accepting anyone who managed to sneak over the border.

Mexico's population density is about the same as the state of Tennessee. There is no reason they can't grow into a first world economy except their crooked system of government.

[Thinkin' Gal]

His hours at a Dallas window-screen factory were cut and rumors spread that he would inevitably have to produce a valid Social Security number.

Horror of horrors!!!

(If this is all it took to make the guy go home, then what's all this nonsense about not being able to get rid of these folks? Keep those rumors flying!)

[MaxMax]

Mrs. Rivera’s shop is indefinitely delayed, a pile of bricks stacked on the grass.

Build it your(freekin)self.. Just damn, it's America's fault her dream has
been delayed.

[GOP Poet]

Or maybe start a few California fires and insure work rebuilding homes in large quantities for many years to come. Nothing like a bit of tragedy to produce job security for the criminal—especially tragedy.

[freekitty]

Gee, Mexico we American taxpayers have been missing our money supporting your you know whats.

[Hornitos]

Perhaps these hardworking folks can build their own economy. Good all around.

Well said.

[Razz Barry]

Less than an hour’s drive away, the city of Querétaro is prospering, turning out home appliances for the world market. But for most people in the villages, education ended after elementary school. An unskilled factory or construction job pays little more than $50 or $60 a week.

See, Mexico needs those illegals who've received a free American education. Passing the Dream Act would only deny Mexico educated citizens.

[The Electrician]

Maybe they can hire some illegal immigrants from south of their border to do the work for a few pesos, off the books, of course...

[Secret Agent Man]

My heart is bleeding.

I have for a long time been fascinated by the mexican mindset that it is up to the United States to fix the problems of mexicans rather than the mexicans fixing their own. They never seem to get rid of their corrupt leaders. Only those in crime or government seem to be able to amass lots of money and power. The problem is that most of the people themselves are corrupt; if they revolt and gain power, they too are corrupt, it’s just trading one group of corrupt people for a new set of corrupt people.

[Red Dog #1]

The corrupt rulers of Mexico are scared that the money sent home from up North will stop. They’re even more scared that Mexican’s will start to return home from the U.S. They’ve seen what a function country looks like and won’t be nearly as easy to keep down.