Number of immigrants up 60 percent in Greeley since 2000

Andrew Villegas, (Bio) avillegas@greeleytribune.com
September 13, 2007

The number of immigrants in Greeley has risen 60 percent since 2000, according to Census figures released Wednesday.

There were 11,907 foreign-born people living in Greeley in 2006, the most recent data available. Foreign-born people make up 12.7 percent of the population. In 2000, there were 7,421 foreign-born people living in Greeley representing 9.7 percent of the population.

The U.S. Census does not collect figures on how many of those foreign-born people are in the U.S. illegally.

The dramatic rise in immigrants has some officials debating what an immigration boom means for Greeley and Weld County.

Ken Buck, Weld district attorney, was surprised to hear how much immigration has risen since 2000. Law enforcement has seen a rise in crime in that time, Buck said, but that the crime rate doesn't necessarily coincide with how many immigrants are in the community.

"The vast majority of illegal immigrants are not committing crimes outside of being here illegally," Buck said.

Buck did say, however, that his office is providing more services now, such as Spanish-language translation for people, than it has in previous years.

The Census report also reported that there are 38,533 people in Weld who primarily speak Spanish in their homes. Of that number, more than 18,000 speak little English, according to the Census.

Juvenal Cervantes, co-chair of Realizing Our Community -- a group that helps integrate immigrants -- said immigrants have a positive influence on Greeley.

"Every community faces this," said Cervantes, adding that Latino immigrants are often misperceived in the community. "They're very friendly and hard-working."

Moreover, Cervantes said immigrants provide a different culture to Greeley and help strengthen the business climate.

"It supplies a great opportunity for our economy," Cervantes said. "They're essential."

Sarah MacQuiddy, president of the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, said a large immigrant workforce means places such as JBS-Swift won't have to look outside the community to fill jobs.

"I hope we don't categorize these folks (as illegal immigrants)," MacQuiddy said. "I think it's good. I think we shouldn't be afraid of this."

Kent Peppler, president of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union in Denver, said that the figures surprise him because farmers are having trouble finding agricultural workers.

"I'm hearing about more labor shortages now than I ever did," Peppler said.

Marc Arnusch, with the Weld Farm Bureau, said he agrees with Peppler.

"They may be finding employment in other areas than agriculture," said Arnusch, who added that he's concerned about illegal immigration but that the United States definitely needs a guest-worker program.

Farmers "need the tools necessary to provide the types of crops we do in Weld," Arnusch said.

In all of Weld, the number of immigrants rose less dramatically than in Greeley. Numbers of immigrants were up 48 percent since 2000. There were 24,810 foreign-born people living in Weld in 2006, up from 16,752 in 2000.

Foreign-born people accounted for 12.5 percent of all residents in the United States in 2006; in 2000 that figure was 11.1 percent.

Numbers of immigrants in northern Colorado:

City/County Year Number

Greeley 2000 7,421

Greeley 2006 11,907

Percent growth: 60

Weld 2000 16,752

Weld 2006 24,810

Percent growth: 48

Fort Collins 2000 6,269

Fort Collins 2006 9,466

Percent growth: 51

Larimer 2000 10,709

Larimer 2006 15,656

Percent growth: 46

Source: U.S. Census Bureau


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