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Latino Unemployment At Record Low; Latino Man's Web Site An Undeniable Hit

CARPENTERSVILLE, Ill. -- In northwest Carpentersville, village trustees are proposing to make English the town's official language and fine businesses or landlords who employ or rent to illegal immigrants.

It's stirring up quite a controversy.

Two village trustees said the influx of immigrants is hindering the community. The so-called "illegals" are draining the village's resources, they said.

Trustee Judy Sigwalt (pictured) moved into a home that once had 17 people living inside, and she said the evidence of overcrowding are apparent throughout the house -- there are melted electrical outlets, among other things, she said.

"It's such an issue," Sigwalt said. "Residents here have been writing in to local papers asking that something be done about this for a long time."

Some Carpentersville residents go so far as to say the illegal immigrants hurt the town's image.

The trustees are proposing the city fine businesses or landlords who employ or rent to illegal immigrants.

Mayor Bill Sato said the issue of illegal immigrants is "not up to local government, it's up to federal officials."

Sato also said the town couldn't afford to police the issue.

Some residents were appalled by the proposal, telling NBC 5's Anita Padilla that just because surnames are Spanish sounding doesn't mean they're illegal or even Spanish.

Latino Workers: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Meanwhile, there is some good news concerning Latino workers.

Unemployment among Hispanics has dropped to a record low of 5.2 percent.

Wages are rising faster for Hispanics than any other worker, but they continue to have the lowest wage of any group.

Hispanic Heritage: Celebrating Entrepreneurial Spirit

He was appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich as managing director of the Illinois entrepreneurship network in 2003, but it's his part-time job that really makes him unique.

Jamie Viteri saw a demand and took action.

He started the Chicago Latino Network in 2002 after graduating from college with a degree in computers. He had collected many e-mail addresses along the way, and saw a way to put them to use.

"It was something people wanted," said Viteri. "I thought of myself as a middle person. I thought, 'OK, there is a need here, and I'm going to be the connector."

Subscribers to the CLN range from doctors to recent graduates looking to make networking connections.

Viteri credits his Ecuadorian immigrant parents for his entrepreneurial spirit.

"They've always instilled the humility aspect, the working hard aspect," he said.

Viteri said an added bonus are the emails e-mails he receives from those grateful for the connections made through his network.