According to the 2000 census, nearly 5% of Fort Wayne residents were born in another country...a majority of them in Mexico. While it is very difficult to determine just how many of those foreign born residents are living here illegally, some say official estimates are too low.
According to Father Tom Ascheman of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Fort Wayne looks like paradise to many young Mexicans. They are looking for three things. A stable society with a regular paycheck; a safe place in which to raise their children; and an education that is good enough for their kids. Many of those kids are entitled to that education because they were born here. They are the so-called "anchor babies".
To feed those babies, these immigrants need jobs. According to Fernando Zapari, who publishes "El Mexicano", a Spanish language newspaper, most earn between 12 and 14 thousand dollars a year. Often, they find employment in the construction, hospitality or manufacturing industry. A large number are employed in the agriculture industry. Without proper legal documentation however, aspiring to a higher paying job is not an option.
To buy a car, illegal immigrants often will have someone purchase the car and register it for them. Eduardo Marquez owns a car lot in downtown Ft. Wayne. He doesn't see it as his job to ask the legal status of his customers. Often, he accepts a Mexican ID from customers.
The Mexican ID is a photo ID card issued by the Mexican government to Mexican nationals living in another country. Wells Fargo Bank accepts this card as a primary form of identification. This allows many illegal immigrants to open bank accounts. This policy has been criticized by immigration reform groups.
We often hear the illegal immigrants pay taxes. Find out how that works in the next part of "Living in the Shadows"
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