For Mexican Americans, U.S. Interests Come First

Juan Hernandez, head of Mexico’s office for Mexicans abroad, has remarked that Mexico wants the “whole enchilada”--amnesty for those illegally in the United States as well as a guest worker program allowing many more Mexicans in every year.

But is the whole enchilada best for both Mexico and the U.S.?

Does the U.S. need a guest worker program, and if so how many workers? How would this affect employment among Mexican Americans?

Hernandez estimates that there are 3.5 million Mexicans illegally in the U.S. Since it was Mexico’s inability to create economic opportunity for all its citizens that created the need for so many to migrate, what are Mexico’s concrete plans to stop the continuing waves of illegal immigrants?

Or does the whole enchilada mean amnesty to those already here, plus an additional 1.5 million Mexican guest workers he says the U.S. needs each year?

Hernandez seems to think that most of the 23 million Americans of Mexican origin will support Mexico’s “whole enchilada” concept. But I think he is wrong.

He may not understand that adult Mexican immigrants, like immigrants from other countries, spend their life in the U.S. referring to Mexico as “back home.” But their “new” home and new life are here. Their native language is Spanish; English, limited or fluent, is their second language.

But their children are no longer immigrants; their reference to “home” is their U.S. place of birth and childhood. The newer generations no longer feel a part of Mexico, though they retain some of the inherited culture and language in varying degrees.

They may feel Mexican, but as a culture: Latino, Chicano or however they choose to identify their roots. They feel no allegiance or obligation to Mexico, even as they care for its humor, food, soccer, boxing, music, fiestas, tequila and other aspects of its culture.

Hernandez has been traveling throughout the U.S., meeting with members of Mexican American organizations. He is received warmly and supported in his quest to improve the lot of Mexican immigrants who still are Mexican citizens. Hernandez has suggested that Mexican Americans invest in Mexico’s economic development to create jobs and better the situation. The idea is well received and underway to some degree.

But Hernandez should understand that the first responsibility of all those Mexican American organizations is to their community here in the U.S. Yes, they support the idea that Mexican nationals should be able to get driver’s licenses, with the mandate to carry liability insurance. They understand that children brought here illegally by their parents are not themselves illegal immigrants but undocumented immigrants, so they support educational benefits for the children.

They support allowing those children, who know no life other than the one in the United States, to apply for citizenship. And they defend the legal, civil and constitutional rights of all, including those here illegally from Mexico.

But if Hernandez believes that U.S. citizens of Mexican heritage will support ideas or programs not in the best interest of their country, the United States, he might find that Mexican Americans prefer burritos over enchiladas.