October 30, 2007
Memo From Mexico,
By
Allan Wall
Drawing The Wrong Conclusions About The San Miguel, Mexico, Gringo Colony
Like all VDARE.Com writers, I receive my share of angry
letters. Specifically, some of my correspondent-critics
think it’s terrible that I live in Mexico and promote
patriotic immigration reform in the United States. I’ve
responded to that argument in a previous article: "How
can I live in Mexico and write for VDARE.COM?"
We American expatriates in Mexico are
a mixed lot. Some of us, such as myself, want the
U.S. to get control of her borders. Many Americans here
don’t really care. But some are open border promoters.
One of the angriest letters I’ve ever received was from
a fellow gringo in Mexico. Nevertheless, in my case,
living here inspired me to
be an immigration restrictionist
Nor are my views based on an
anti-Mexican perspective. (Some other correspondents
have criticized me for
not being hard enough on Mexicans).
I also think today’s mass immigration is
bad for Mexico.
As for Mexicans, they hear a lot about U.S. immigration
policy, but most Mexicans don’t know much about Mexican
immigration policy. So they often think that Mexico has
an open border policy. (It doesn’t).
The argument that American migration to Mexico is
somehow equivalent to Mexican migration to the U.S. has
been presented before, including a September 25, 2006
TomPaine.com
article by Mike Davis, (author of
No One Is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on
the U.S.-Mexico Border) about
"hordes" of gringo retirees. I responded to that
here:
Gringo Hordes Invading Mexico? Yeah, Right.
Now Sheila Croucher is echoing that point of view in her
recent article
They Love us Here: American Migrants in Mexico
(Dissent Magazine, Winter 2007).
Dr. Croucher [Send her
mail] is a professor of something called
"Ethnic Politics, Politics of Identity, Globalization,
Gender and Politics" at the University of Florida,
and is the author of Globalization and Belonging: The
Politics of Identity in a Changing World (2004), and
Imagining Miami: Ethnic Politics in a Postmodern
World (1997.
Her Dissent article begins with a
paragraph designed to trick the reader into equating
Mexican and American immigration:
"The
town I was destined for is full of immigrants, and over
the past decade they have arrived in increasing numbers.
Most do not learn the local language and reside and
socialize within an isolated cultural enclave. These
immigrants practice their own cultural traditions and
celebrate their national holidays. Grocery stores are
stocked with locally unfamiliar products that hail from
their homeland. Few choose to pursue citizenship in
their adopted land, and most follow closely and
participate in the political and economic life of their
homeland. Some live and work in the new country without
proper documentation and have even been involved in the
illegal transport of drugs across state borders. Their
presence is so pervasive that local governments have
been forced to adapt by providing services to address
the needs of this growing foreign population. They are
U.S. citizens living in Mexico."
So there you go. Sheila Croucher’s article is a study of
the American expatriate colony in
San Miguel de Allende, a charming mountain resort in
central Mexico.
She likens these Americans to the Mexican
colony in the United States.
In the next couple of paragraphs, Coucher contrasts
American xenophobia with Mexican hospitality:
"…. During the weeks prior to my departure (to San
Miguel) in June 2006, anti-immigrant hysteria swept the
United States. Republicans in the House called for
making undocumented
[sic]
residence in the United States a felony. The Senate
declared English the official language. Immigrants
[i.e.
illegal aliens] and their supporters took
to the streets. So did the
Minutemen Militia. The day I flew south across the
infamous 2,000-mile border, in the comfort of an
air-conditioned plane, George W. Bush ordered
National Guard troops to
deploy along that border, in an effort to
stop the desperate thousands arriving from the other
direction."
"Meanwhile, San Miguel prepared for its second major
tourist influx of the year. January through March, the
town is packed with snowbirds escaping the frigid
winters of the northern United States and Canada. In
July and August, Texans arrive seeking reprieve from the
sweltering heat of the U.S. Southwest. In addition to
climate, people flock to San Miguel to enjoy the
scenery, colonial architecture, art galleries, and
cultural festivities…"
In case you missed it, she’s trying to make a contrast:
inhospitable Americans vs. hospitable Mexicans.
In her last paragraph, Dr. Crowder reports that in May
of 2006, the English-language newspaper in San Miguel
carried out a survey about the proposed wall on the
border. Here were some Mexican responses:
"They know we Mexicans and other Latinos do the hardest
jobs
gringos
would
never do. Here in San Miguel, there are plenty of
gringos, and we treat them politely. They should do
the same with Mexicans."
"We are neighbors, and they should not take such
measures against us. Why do we Mexicans allow them to
come to our country and treat them politely, and they
instead treat us like that?"
"We should forbid gringos from coming into
Mexico, just as they do with us."
To say that the U.S. forbids Mexicans to enter its
territory, or treats them badly, is ridiculous. Mexicans
are the largest source of legal and illegal
immigration into the U.S. But this claim is standard
fare here in Mexico.
I’ve been to San Miguel, and it’s not hard to see why so
many Americans would want to live there.
The town has a pleasant climate, and a colonial Spanish
downtown, with
cobblestone streets. When my wife and I visited, we
didn’t even have a car, but it didn’t matter, everything
of interest was within walking distance.
The most famous building is a church called La
Parroquia (The parish). You can see a photo of it in
the upper right hand corner of my website at
allanwall.net The front section of the Parroquia was
designed in the 19th century by Ceferino
Gutierrez, a self-trained Indian architect, who was
influenced by postcards of Gothic cathedrals in Europe.
It’s an impressive
sight.
National Question-wise, here’s what’s special about San
Miguel.
About 15% of the town’s population is composed of
foreigners. That’s small, but for a Mexican town, it’s
almost unheard-of. Of that foreign contingent, about 20%
are
Canadians and 70% (about 8-12,000) are Americans.
The American community in San Miguel has a high turnover
rate. Some Americans are only there temporarily, some
seasonally, while others have definitely put roots down
there.
Dr. Croucher reports that, among Americans in San
Miguel, Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to 1. In 2004
Democrats Abroad raised $10,000 dollars there
for John Kerry. (Notice though, that this political
organizing was directed toward U.S. politics, Democrats
Abroad was not meddling in Mexican politics).
Dr. Croucher makes the curious comment that gringos in
San Miguel de Allende "enjoy
English-language films at American-owned luxury
hotels." I don’t know why that’s a big deal. All
over Mexico you can watch English-language movies (with
subtitles) at regular movie theaters. Did she know that?
Croucher equates the experiences of
Americans in San Miguel and Mexicans living in the
U.S.
Certainly there are some parallels. Americans have their
reasons to go to Mexico, Mexicans have theirs to go to
the U.S. Money is a big motivation for both groups.
And, as Dr. Croucher points out, both Mexicans in the
U.S. and Americans in San Miguel cluster in
linguistic enclaves, and
maintain communication with the home country.
It’s absolutely true that many Americans in Mexico
don’t assimilate or meaningfully integrate into
Mexican society. Many live here for years and never
learn Spanish.
Not me. I have integrated into Mexican society more than
most Americans here. I speak Spanish, I work in a
Mexican university, I live in a Mexican middle-class
neighborhood, and I’m
married to a Mexican (and thus
have Mexican in-laws).
It’s also true, as the article points out, that some
Americans work illegally in Mexico. They are in the
country legally, but not authorized to work. But some
work illegally as English teachers (I work legally as
an English teacher and professor). Some Americans even
exercise such professions as architecture or financial
consulting.
Some Americans even operate a business without paying
taxes. Of course, with
tax evasion being
so common in Mexico, I guess in that respect,
tax-evading gringos are assimilating into
Mexican society!
The Mexican government tolerates such behavior, and is
not too concerned about it. Why? The money.
These wealthy American expatriates pump a lot of money
into the
Mexican economy.
Besides, Mexican immigration law is set up in such a
manner that it’s not necessary for immigration
authorities to carry out witch hunts against Americans
working illegally. They have better ways to control the
situation.
Plus, they don’t have to worry about Americans being a
burden on the Mexican welfare system. That’s because
Mexican immigration policy is carefully designed to
keep out immigrants who will be a drain on the system.
If a foreigner wishes to reside in Mexico, he must
either (1) have a job (like me) or (2) be financially
independent—an American wishing to retire in San Miguel
(or anywhere else in Mexico) must prove that he has an
income from abroad (in pensions or investments) of
400 times the minimum wage in Mexico City per month,
plus another 200 times the minimum wage for each of his
dependents. (Currently, 400 times the minimum wage would
be about $1500 a month.)
Americans in Mexico aren’t storming Mexican
emergency rooms for free. In Mexico, an emergency
room is really an emergency room, unlike the United
States, where an
emergency room is a de facto free health clinic.
(Last year I had a bad case of colitis and had to go to
an emergency room in Mexico—it wasn’t free).
And a population of retirees doesn’t have many children
to flood the schools at taxpayer expense—and
perhaps one day vote themselves into political
power.
Another topic Dr. Sheila Croucher totally ignores is
citizenship. In Mexico, very, very few Americans become
Mexican citizens. It’s almost unknown. Maybe they
imagine the U.S would punish them—although in fact
nowadays, nothing is ever done. Maybe they know that
naturalized Mexicans are
still second-class citizens.
But this means that nearly all those thousands of
Americans in San Miguel de Allende, or in other gringo
enclaves, could be deported instantly if the Mexican
government saw fit. And the Mexican government would
have every right to do so.
Not that I expect it anytime soon. The Mexican
government is glad to have resident gringos
pumping money into the Mexican economy.
That’s why Mexico tolerates infractions such as illegal
labor and tax evasion, because there is still plenty of
money being made.
Nevertheless, let’s not forget that, as non-Mexicans,
all of us gringos in Mexico are not permitted by Mexican
law to
meddle in Mexican politics.
According to Article 43 of Mexico’s General Law of
Population
(Ley General de Población):
"The admission to the country
[Mexico] of a foreigner obliges him to strictly
comply with the conditions established for him in the
immigration permit and the dispositions established by
the respective laws."
Article 33 of the Mexican Constitution specifically
authorizes the immediate expulsion of any foreigner
whose presence the Mexican government deems
objectionable. It states:
Article 33 - Foreigners are those who do not possess the
qualities determined in
Article 30. They have the right to the guarantees of
Chapter I of the first title of this Constitution,
but the Executive of the Union has the exclusive right
to expel from the national territory, immediately and
without necessity of judicial proceedings, all
foreigners whose stay it judges inconvenient. Foreigners
may not, in any manner, involve themselves in the
political affairs of the country.
And, from time to time, my fellow gringos do get booted
out of Mexico for violating this law.
In May of 2002,
18 Americans were expelled for participating in May
Day marches. In September of the same year
5 more were booted out for taking part in a
demonstration in Oaxaca.
And in 2006, three Americans (two lawyers and an
activist) working on a child molestation cover-up
case involving Cardinal Mahony and the
Archbishop of
Mexico traveled to Mexico, on a tourist visa, to
publicize a lawsuit being brought in Los Angeles. After
holding a press conference, the three were expelled from
Mexico and banned from returning for 5 years. [
Mexico Bans Lawyer Who Sued Archbishop By John
Spano, Los Angeles Times, October 13, 2006]
So anytime things get out of hand, the
Mexican government has an ace in the hole – Article
33.
If in the future, the Mexican government decides it
doesn’t want so many Americans living here, or decides
to kick
us out, well, that’s the sovereign right of the Mexican
government.
But let’s not have any more nonsense about a few
American retirees and art students in Mexico being
equivalent to the ongoing illegal Mexican invasion of
U.S. soil.
American citizen Allan Wall (
email
him) resides in Mexico, with a
legal permit issued him by the Mexican government. Allan
recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq with the
Texas Army National Guard. His VDARE.COM articles are
archived
here; his FRONTPAGEMAG.COM
articles are archived
here his "Dispatches from
Iraq" are archived
here his website is
here.
