BajaNews
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Undocumented Americans in Baja fear backlash
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/14485675.h...
May 03, 2006
By NANCY CONROY
Americans living in Baja California, Mexico, have been feeling a bit tense lately, because of the illegal-immigration debate going on in the United
States. In April huge crowds demonstrated in major U.S. cities, waving Mexican flags, applying pressure and generally creating political havoc. The
United States is deeply divided over the problem, whereas illegal immigration is a campaign issue in the coming Mexican presidential election. And the
already delicate U.S.-Mexico relationship is showing even more signs of strain.
The situation has gringo expatriates worried because of fears that this fracas could ignite a backlash against Americans living in Mexico. If the
United States is cracking down on Mexicans, might Mexico launch a counter-campaign against gringos living in Mexican beachside communities?
Fortunately there have been few overt signs so far of any such hostile response. There have been no announcements, no demonstrations, no unusual
police problems, no immigration crackdown and no noticeable difference in people's attitudes toward Americans living in Mexico.
Cordial relations
In Baja California, relations with our Mexican hosts have continued cordial as usual. That is good news, and before people start getting too worried,
they should look around to see whether there is any real evidence that their fears might be justified. If nothing negative is really happening, then
maybe the chronic worriers should just settle down.
Still, the immigration debate in the United States will probably heat up more before it dies.
Leftist Mexican presidential candidate Andr?s Manuel L?pez Obrador is still leading most of the opinion polls. But if he gets desperate for attention,
he might launch some inflammatory anti-American diatribe. Everyone fears that scenario, especially if it works -- and his popularity ratings are
starting to slide a bit.
An American pundit or politician could just as easily do the same thing as well.
In this tense environment, coffee shops, Internet bulletin boards, e-mails and phone calls all suggest a rising sense of fear among U.S. expatriates.
One Baja California chat forum, run by ''Sundog,'' recently has had plenty of inquiries from people thinking about moving here but who are worried
about hostility toward Americans as a result of the immigration debates.
In caf?s, too, the talk of the town seems to be on this matter. People feel uncertain, worried and unclear.
One American retiree, a 55-year Baja California resident, returned from a visit to Oaxaca and said that she has never felt so unwelcome in Mexico as
she felt these days. Apparently a McDonald's was coming to town and provoking protests. Still, not everyone thinks that way, and there don't seem to
be any protests going on in Baja California.
The likelihood of an anti-American backlash probably depends on whether the tone of the U.S. immigration debate turns nasty (nastier?) or not. The
Mexicans who are protesting in the United States by and large are doing so peacefully, without violent incidents, except for a bit of Mexican
flag-waving that got on people's nerves.
One uncomfortable incident, though, is a sarcastic letter making the rounds on the Internet, called ''I'm Headed to Mexico.'' It is a ''letter'' to
President Vicente Fox, supposedly from an American, saying that he plans to move to Mexico, he has no intention of complying with immigration laws and
he fully expects a long list of demands to be met such as free social services, English-speaking officials, bilingual forms, driver's licenses,
medical care, etc.
The ironic thing about this letter, however, is that Mexico actually does provide Americans with several of the items and services on the fictional
``list.''
In Rosarito, Baja California, where there is a large American population, Mexican city officials do indeed provide bilingual forms, English-speaking
police officers and driver's licenses to foreigners.
Also, the sad truth is that many Americans living in Mexico have not regularized their immigration status.
With that said, the satirical letter is just a little too close to reality. That is scary, because if Mexico adopts an ''eye for an eye'' retaliation
strategy, Americans living in Mexico are vulnerable.
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villadelfin
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Mood: toasted and buttered
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Thanks, BajaNews for the posting. It certainly mirrors my concerns. I invite the board to check out my posting under off-topic concerning the
immigration debate.
Note to moderators: I hope this posting does not break any of your rules
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Don Alley
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Location: Loreto
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and...they are going to legalize CRACK COCAINE!
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wilderone
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A friend living in Oaxaca told me yesterday he had gone to a restaurant where he's been many, many times, and they refused to serve him.
Times are a-changin in Mexico and it ain't pretty. The population of drug addicts will rise, and watch that parallel the number of
theft/burglary/mugging victims. And do you think the local police will care about ex-pat gringo "rights" in Mexico?
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