Bank: Mexicans in U.S. send less funds home

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's Central Bank says migrants living in the U.S. are sending less money home.

Remittances fell 2.2% in the first six months of this year, compared to the same period a year before. That's the first consecutive drop since reliable records were kept.

Officials on Wednesday attributed the drop in part to the U.S. economic slowdown and America's crackdown on illegal immigrants.

For Mexico and many Latin America nations, migrant money is essential to economic growth.

The drop is already being felt, especially in tiny Mexican hamlets that rely on money sent by relatives living north of the border. Some businesses are closing or cutting back, while town leaders are trying find ways to replace the lost income.
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