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Mexican government offers cash prize for best migrant story

10:53 AM MST on Friday, June 9, 2006
By Deanna Morgan, Fox 11 News

Some 12 million people have made it safely into the United States and are living in this country illegally; most are from Mexico.

The Mexican government is collecting migrant stories to publish.

It's a contest. And the person with the best story wins a cash prize. A flyer being distributed by the Mexican Consulate here in Tucson is asking Mexican immigrants residing in the U.S. or Mexico to tell their story.

Participants must be 12 years old or older. They must also be Mexican or Mexican descent, and must be a resident of the U.S or Mexico.

“This is not a political issue,” says Mexican Consulate, Juan Calderon-Jaimes. “It's a contest.” “It's just to know what happened when they come or they came to the United States.”

Calderon-Jaimes says the contest will help document migrant history.

Governor Janet Napolitano, speaking today on immigration, hadn't heard of the contest.

“What I would wish that Mexico would do is to work to deter people from crossing the border illegally through Arizona,” says Napolitano.

Area residents living in Tucson that emigrated from Mexico feel the contest will do more harm than good.

“What the Mexican government needs to do is create more jobs, pay a little more money, and everything will be fine,” says Norma Madera.

“I'd really like to government to focus on legal immigration instead of illegal immigration,” says Albert Bobadilla.

Four winners will be picked for the contest and announced July 31. All will win 15,000 Mexican pesos, which is equivalent to about $1300 dollars. Stories can be about a relative or acquaintance, and must be less than 15 pages.