[AAACE-NLA] Immigration question

[Marlena Boggs]

Hi,
This is an interesting conversation as we are in the process of doing some diversity training and just started the section on Working with Latino Families. (all of these workshops we have been doing at our branches for our frontline staff has had the action of ripping Band-Aids off--kind of hard to see the 'real' attitudes, but at the same time really good that the staff feels safe enough to talk--and now we know what some of the deeper issues are that need to be addressed before we can really create a warm welcoming haven of a library branch for our diverse families...)
 
One question came up in response both towards the money we spend taking care of those illegal immigrants and the money that flows into our economy because of them. The question dealt with the amount of money that is sent back to home countries from the USA workers--and wondering why there was so much poverty, lack of ability to pay for health care, etc. if the amount of money flowing back over the border to help better relatives' lives was as significant sounding as it is.  [here sometimes people pay for healthcare, etc. with cash-as sometimes people without health care here legally  don't qualify for healthcare for their kids - Missouri is not known for its compassion towards kids and healthcare - though it has other strengths...]  Not sure how that is tracked (or is?-maybe Western Union tracks it?)-but the question dealt with wondering what the impact on the relatives/families/children here is because of the movement of money to do the caretaking of relatives left behind and if the relatives HERE might not be able to do better caretaking of their own children that are here versus sending so much of it out of the country.
 
I was not sure how to address that question.  (and don't think I remember the amount of $$ that is sent back across the border to Mexico but know I, too, have seen that figure)
 
Any ideas?  
 
Best,
Marlena
 
Marlena Boggs
Adult Specialist
mboggs at mcpl.lib.mo.us
Phone: (816) 521-7260
Mid-Continent Public Library - http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us
Unless explicitly attributed, the opinions expressed are personal.
 
       
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