Mexico's new consul general in Dallas, Juan Carlos Cu茅-Vega, has an admirable and ambitious agenda for the estimated 400,000 to 500,000 Mexicans living in Dallas and other cities covered by his consular region. Cu茅-Vega says his compatriots here have a bad reputation, and it's time for an image makeover. With refreshing candor, he is blunt about the problem: %26quot;Frankly, we have spoken about the issues that make us not look very good, like celebrations using guns, littering, [being] noisy in the neighborhoods, leaving the kids at home while going to work. These are social and cultural things that we need to change.%26quot;
Cu茅-Vega says President Felipe Calder贸n shares his concerns. Until now, we suspect, Mexican officials have been reluctant to raise these issues publicly, not wanting to fuel the extremely harsh atmosphere in this country over illegal immigration.
But it's an important discussion to have. President Barack Obama says he wants to reintroduce comprehensive immigration reform, which means a new round of recriminations is coming. Cu茅-Vega acknowledges the role that Mexicans' image will play in that debate.
The vast majority of Mexican immigrants are hard workers lured here by jobs, he says, but they don't always think about the responsibilities and behavioral changes that U.S. residency involves. %26quot;We have to educate our people ... to respect the law.%26quot;
That respect doesn't just start when an illegal immigrant takes up residence here. It begins at the border, and when an immigrant enters illegally, his reputation instantly becomes tainted in the eyes of many Americans, regardless of how the immigrant behaves as a resident.
That said, Cu茅-Vega's agenda is commendable because the illegal immigration issue isn't going away anytime soon. So the next best thing is to ensure that immigrants assimilate and abide by the laws and customs of this land.
The consul general has started his campaign by making the rounds at immigrant centers such as Casa Guanajuato in Oak Cliff. He should also consider meet-and-greet sessions with police and neighborhood code enforcement officers, who can clarify any ambiguities about what kinds of behavior are out of bounds. Churches and meetings of neighborhood associations also are a great way to get the message out.
Had Cu茅-Vega's predecessors launched this campaign earlier, the atmosphere against illegal immigrants might not have reached the boiling point of recent years. The message is overdue, but late is certainly better than never.
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What do U think Mexico says illegals in America need a image makeover admits noisy in the neighborhoods?
Obama is realising that he cant be all things to all people. He even touches the amnesty button and he knows he is out in 2012.
What do U think Mexico says illegals in America need a image makeover admits noisy in the neighborhoods?
He should take them home.
You can paint an outhouse pink and plant roses around it, but it is still an outhouse.
Immigration illegal or not has been the backbone to the USA prosperity.
yeah I will help them with their changing their image. you cannot change these criminals from being criminals.
