Mexican community divided over president's visit

Immigrants in city divided on Calderon
By Antonio Olivo

Tribune reporter

10:57 PM CST, February 11, 2008


Mexican President Felipe Calderon is scheduled to arrive in Chicago on Tuesday, part of a much-anticipated first U.S. tour since he was elected in 2006 that has stirred both hope and resentment among immigrants here.

While he discusses trade, immigration and other issues with Mayor Richard Daley, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other leaders, Calderon can expect to hear the shouts of both supporters and critics between stops.

Some groups, announcing plans for a protest outside a community meeting with Calderon at Little Village High School, complained Monday that the president's visit will be symbolic at best, coming too late to make a difference in a now-stalled debate in Congress over immigration reform.

Supporters argued the president's visit is testament to the economic importance of one of the largest Mexican communities in the U.S.

The visit comes on the heels of tensions among some Mexican immigrant groups brought on by complaints of poor service at the Mexican consulate in Chicago. Some say the complaints are emblematic of the divisions within the community over the Calderon administration.

"Why come?" asked community activist Juan Andres Mora during a news conference Monday held by groups which were not invited by the consulate to the Little Village meeting. "He did not come to visit with the people to hear legitimate concerns. He's only here to visit with those who applaud him."

At another news conference less than a mile away, members of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce praised Calderon for strengthening ties between Mexico and immigrants in Chicago.

The Calderon administration has kept alive a Mexican economic development program launched under former President Vicente Fox that has given Mexican hometown associations across the U.S. a stake in the creation of jobs south of the border by allowing them to invest remittances in specific projects.

Supporters of those efforts argue that such relations will help curb immigration into the U.S., while opponents criticize Calderon for not spurring more ambitious economic development.

"If it takes care of 10,000 to 20,000 jobs, that's going to be that many less people coming over," argued Gonzalo Gradilla, president of the Little Village chamber.

Both sides agreed that Calderon should help immigrants win a stronger political voice in their homeland.

"We urge President Calderon to give us a stronger voice," said Fabian Morales, an elected immigrant adviser to the Calderon administration who has been pushing for those electoral reforms.


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