Economy driving Mexican immigrants back home

02:27 PM CST on Friday, December 26, 2008

By ANGELA KOCHERGA / WFAA-TV



SAN GERONIMO, Mexico β€” The recession has many immigrants in the United States rethinking their annual trip back to Mexico for the holiday season.

Hard times north of the border mean some immigrants are planning to go home for good.

Every year at this time, you'll find them at lined up at international bridges, in trucks packed like Santa's sleigh.

But this year, it's not all gifts on board.

Construction worker Misael Rodriguez, said he's bringing all his personal belongings back to Mexico. It's not a lot, but time are tough, he explains, so he's leaving the U.S. for good.

Small business owner Leticia Guzman said employers are cutting jobs and cutting hours β€” especially in the construction and service sectors that employ a lot of immigrant labor.


WFAA-TV
Construction worker Misael Rodriguez says he's leaving the U.S. for good. Guzman owns a small janitorial business and hopes she'll be able to ride out the U.S. recession.

But Guzman's brother-in-law, Seferino Lopez, said he's giving up and going home.

Lopez cares for show horses on a ranch in Colorado, but he doesn't expect to have much work in January.

It's hard to know exactly how many immgirants are moving back to Mexico β€” or if they are going back for good.

The real test comes after the holidays when it's time to start looking for work. Immigants heading home worry that as bad as things are in the U.S., it's probably only worse in Mexico.

E-mail akocherga@belo-dc.com


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