| WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY REACH 'EL
NORTE'?
REACHING CANADA:
Canada has a world-wide reputation for it's
tolerant policies towards refugees. Many immigrants
who reach here file a claim for refugee status.
Their case is referred to the government-appointed
Immigration and Refugee Appeal Board.
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48% of about 40,000 refugee claims annually
are turned down in Canada.
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The board makes a decision based on
the claimant's background and what dangers might
exist in the country they are fleeing from. People
from countries which have a poor human rights record
(like Columbia) have a better chance of being accepted
than people from countries which have acceptable
human rights records (like Honduras).
While waiting for the board's decision the refugees
are not detained (unless they have a criminal background)
and are allowed to collect provincial welfare and
use health care services.
Many refugees - about 48% - who make a claim are
not accepted into Canada. They are then deported
back to their home country.
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36,000 refugee claimants who were ordered
deported in the last five years are still
living in Canada.
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The government estimates that about
8 percent of the foreigners who come to live in Canada
live here illegally. Most of them are people who have
had unsuccessful refugee claims and visitors who have
overstayed their visas. The Canadian government has
simply lost track of them.
It's estimated that there are 200,000 'undocumented'
people (non-Canadians without a permit to stay here)
working in an 'underground' economy. The lower wages
that these illegals workers are paid help keep some
businesses profitable. They benefit Canadians who
get cheaper child care and bargain renovations as
a result. These illegal workers often fill the jobs
that Canadians don't want; many of work in Ontario's
construction sector.
There is now a growing political movement that is
lobbying the federal government to acknowledge the
existence of these illegal immigrants and grant them
amnesty.
REACHING THE U.S.:
The United States has an estimated nine million undocumented
workers. About 30% of the people who go the the U.S.
to work live there illegally. Most come across the
border from Mexico.
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4.5 million of U.S. illegal immigrants come
from Mexico. Almost 1 million more come from
Central America.
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Most of these people work in 'under
the table' jobs below the minimum wage or buy false
social security papers which are easily available
for $100. Like in Canada, these workers generally
take jobs that U.S. citizens don't want. The International
Monetary Fund reported in 2002 that underground
work amounted to 10% of the entire U.S. economy.
Mexican President Vicente Fox has been putting pressure
on the U.S. government to develop a more humane
immigration policy. Over 50% of illegal workers
in the U.S. are Mexican. Since it's not possible
to deport such a large population the American government
considering offering these workers some kind of
amnesty.
President Bush has recently outlined a plan which
would give these people an opportunity to join a
new 'temporary worker program' for a period of three
years. They would be able to stay in the U.S. legally,
keep their jobs and apply for permanent status.
Many illegal immigrants working in the the U.S.
and Canada send money to help their families back
home. A recent study reported that these 'remittances'
amounted to $30 billion. This amount is almost double
the entire U.S. foreign aid budget for all nations.
This money has major impact on the poor economies
of South and Central American countries.
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Hondurans working in the U.S. send home $500
million US every year.
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For example, the Honduras Central
Bank has reported that money received from 'el norte'
totaled $500 million in the year 2000. This amount
is more than earned by Honduras in tourism or the
export of bananas, coffee, sugar and wood.
It's estimated that 30% of the population benefit
from the money using it towards food and shelter.
Although the workers in the north earn a modest wage
(50% make $25,000 - $30,000 every year) a mere 10%
of that money is enough to support an entire family
back home.
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