Thread: After Postville raid, Guatemalan town is hurting

After Postville raid, Guatemalan town is hurting
By Oscar Avila
May 12, 2009

SAN JOSE CALDERAS, Guatemala -- Here was Angela Noemi Pastor's blueprint for prosperity: She borrowed $12,000 to cross the U.S. border illegally with three of her children, a crossing that posed many risks. Her payoff was a job making less than $7 an hour in rural Iowa.

On paper, it sounds like a questionable business plan. Except it was a formula that meant prosperity to many in this village, the main source of labor for the Agriprocessors Inc. meat-processing plant in Postville, Iowa.

The pipeline -- workers going north, money flowing south -- ended when U.S. Immigration agents raided the plant a year ago and deported hundreds of illegal workers, including Pastor.

"Thank God we were able to work a little bit," Pastor said. "But with a little bit more time, we could have done even more."



As with Pastor, the raid has brought the bitterness of dashed dreams to this cloistered community of 3,800, which lies up a winding gravel road dotted with peach orchards.

Men -- including several who were deported -- loiter outside straw shacks as they wait for odd jobs as farmhands. A handful of general stores, which once buzzed with daily commerce, are quiet. Several of the newer, concrete homes display "For Sale" signs for neighboring plots of land.

Here and elsewhere across Latin America, workers are out of jobs because of tougher U.S. Immigration enforcement and a downturn in the American economy, according to experts. That means a dwindling of remittances sent back home, a development that holds deep implications for a region dependent on money from illegal workers.

According to 2008 data, remittances to Latin America declined in real terms for the first time since accurate data has been kept. The Inter-American Development Bank forecasts even greater declines for 2009.

The trend likely will place even greater pressure on Guatemala and other countries battling epidemics of crime. With employment opportunities bleak, out-of-work young men are prime candidates to fall into illicit activities in a country that is a key crossroads for illegal drugs into the U.S., according to local residents and experts.

While supporters of tougher Immigration enforcement warn of the harm that illegal Immigration may cause in the U.S., American officials and international development experts worry that America's security also could suffer if pockets of poverty and instability grow in Latin America.

The drop in remittances has been especially harsh in Guatemala, which relies on the cash for an estimated 12 percent of its gross domestic product. Guatemala took in about $4.3 billion in remittances last year.

The seeds of hardship already are beginning to sprout in San Jose.

The town is a bumpy 45-minute ride from the cobblestone streets of tourist hot spot Antigua, but the espresso bars and Internet cafes there seem a world away.

Even in their isolation, San Jose residents used to eke out livings by growing vegetables that were exported throughout Central America, lifelong resident Mario Junech said. But soon, mostly because of overfarming, the fields lost their fertility and the markets closed. About a decade ago, the first residents found their way to Postville, followed by a typical chain of others.

Junech worked at the Postville plant, where he came to love the small-town friendliness that reminded him of home as well as new treats, such as Chinese buffets and Mexican taquerias.

Junech came back to San Jose about four years ago after working long enough to pay off his "coyote," who smuggled him north. Once home, he built a small house and an attached general store.

Junech could make a living in San Jose by selling milk, detergent and other staples to townspeople flush with cash from the north. Since the Iowa raid, his business is down about 50 percent.

His teenage son was among those deported from Postville, having tried to follow in father's footsteps. The son was away for a few days working in the countryside, where he makes $7 a day, about the same as an hour's wage in Postville.

The country's unrest is already hitting San Jose as residents complain of a crime wave that makes it unsafe to go out at night. Even worse, kidnappers are targeting returning immigrants, assuming they have more money than the typical resident, villagers say.

"How are you going to compare life in the United States to what a family finds here?" Junech said. "If God allows it, maybe one day we will return."

oavila@tribune.com


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati ... 7529.story

WHO is working at the plant now? Americans?

Americans do NOT have the responsibility of supporting the rest of the Western Hemisphere.

Bye ~ BYE ... and dont come back. I would suggest you clean up your country and get rid of your corrupt politicians.... take it from us.. that is what we are going to do

Just follow the money my friend. The "political contributors" will get their "cheap labor" and not have to furnish any "benefits" because all the "benefits" for the ILLEGALS will be furnished by the taxpayers enforced and implemented by "our politicians" and their "men"(see Johnny Sutton)!!

So? They should be marching in the streets of their country demanding jobs. They are not our problem.

"Town is hurting" and "she borrowed $12,000 to cross the border for a $7/hour job" with 3 kids don't compute. If she was able to come up with $12k, she certainly could have afforded to emigrate legally. NO sympathy!!

SAN JOSE CALDERAS, Guatemala -- Here was Angela Noemi Pastor's blueprint for prosperity: She borrowed $12,000 to cross the U.S. border illegally with three of her children, a crossing that posed many risks. Her payoff was a job making less than $7 an hour in rural Iowa.

On paper, it sounds like a questionable business plan. Except it was a formula that meant prosperity to many in this village, the main source of labor for the Agriprocessors Inc. meat-processing plant in Postville, Iowa.

On paper is sounds like a questionable plan? In reality it is insane. How can you work for $7, pay meager living expenses for 4 people and ever think to pay a $12,000 loan back in a lifetime? Making this decesion is not even rational.

Here and elsewhere across Latin America, workers are out of jobs because of tougher U.S. Immigration enforcement and a downturn in the American economy, according to experts. That means a dwindling of remittances sent back home, a development that holds deep implications for a region dependent on money from illegal workers.

Boooohooo!!! Hopefully here in Texas a tax will be slapped on what little money is sent back to Latin America.

While supporters of tougher Immigration enforcement warn of the harm that illegal Immigration may cause in the U.S., American officials and international development experts worry that America's security also could suffer if pockets of poverty and instability grow in Latin America.

I guess we should send Hillary to Latin America to apologize for all the pockets of poverty we have caused? Why is it the whole world is our responsiblity?

One town may be hurting from the loss of jobs to illegals, however, our entire country is hurting because of the jobs the illegals have taken from the American workers. My concern is for our people.

Far too many countries depend on remittances from the U.S. This is money that should have been spent locally to support OUR economy, not that of Mexico or Honduras. I hope every state follows the lead of Texas, if only to pay for the benefits provided to illegals.

The problem is the Elitist Politicians from both "major" Political Parties, are willing to turn the United States into a Third World welfare state for their Elitist Political Contributors and Special Interest Groups to insure most of our citizens obtain Third World status by importing ILLEGALS to take United States Citizen’s jobs or outsourcing United States Citizen’s jobs to Third World Countries.

the hell with the SOB "cry me a tear" stories that only seem to involve the illegal alien worker who just wants to make a better life. and violates laws in the process.