What is a Colonia? THE THIRD WORLD IN THE USA

(Photo Entrance to Colonia Roma, Reynosa. )


(Photos: Texas Colonias)



Red dots along the Texas-Mexico border show locations of colonias. Texas A&M University in College Station is approximately 380 miles (eight hours by car) from Brownsville, where Cameron Park colonia is located. COEP members make the trip by airplane.



What is a Colonia? THE THIRD WORLD IN THE USA

Texas Secretary of State's Definition:

The term "colonia," in Spanish means a community or neighborhood. The Office of the Secretary of State defines a "colonia" as a residential area along the Texas-Mexico border that may lack some of the most basic living necessities, such as potable water and sewer systems, electricity, paved roads, and safe and sanitary housing.

In recent years the Texas-Mexico border region has experienced an explosion of growth in population and industrial activity. Although growth has resulted in economic opportunities, it has also intensified the environmental health and social challenges.

Among the border states, Texas has the largest number of colonias approximately 1,800 communities, with more than 500,000 residents. Sixty-five percent of all residents, and 85% of residents under the age of 18, were born in the United States. (aka Anchor babies) These Americans live in extreme poverty and often are unaware of the services that the United States and Texas can provide for them. Education is a key to addressing the problems faced by colonia residents, but reaching out to these communities poses unique challenges that require unique approaches.

Ninety-eight percent of the residents are Hispanic and speak little or no English.

(see photos - http://www-apps.niehs.nih.gov/outreach-education/News/spotarch/spot0503.cfm)

Welcome to the Colonias Home Page
"One of government’s chief responsibilities is to help Texans with the greatest needs. The Secretary of State’s Ombudsman Program is a central part of our initiatives to assist needy Texans living in colonias. The program is helping to provide better roads, bring water and wastewater infrastructure to areas that lack these basic services, and improve the quality of life for some of Texas’ neediest citizens." - Governor Rick Perry

NOTE: This has been going on for many years, and yes while GWBush was governor.

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Mugged at Gunpoint by illegal Aliens! What a Christmas!

TheTownCrier, Editorial

I get many emails from frustrated Americans about immigration. Many want to speak up, but hesitate. Some of them are afraid. They shudder at being attacked with vile accusations of xenophobia by radical alien sympathizers. They fear retaliation by drug cartel gangs. They don’t want to cause “trouble”.

These are mostly private, hard working, decent people, abiding the law, trying to survive and leave something of this nation for their kids.

But instead they are being thrown into a “nation within a nation” with a foreign language and flag. They watch their middle class neighborhood morph into a colonia. They lose their jobs or work for the same wages they did 20 years ago. Some have their property used as a smuggling corridor, night after night, year after year.

Today a friend sent an email he had received by such a conflicted fellow American and asked if I could let someone know. I will share the email with her identity protected.

Speak up before you are too afraid to!’

Silence IS consent.

Subject: Fwd: Please PRAY for my friends! - Robbed at Gunpoint! What a Christmas!

"We had a tough season too. On the 22nd Becky was mugged at gun point and punched in the mouth by two [illegal mexicans] in the walmart parking lot, they took our entire Christmas budget from her! Then the cops just acted so nonchalant about it saying this has been going on everyday here in Salem [Oregon]. They haven't even tried to get them, no detectives have called us, walmart refuses to give us the security tape and no one cares. Meanwhile the Mexican Government in cooperation with ours keeps setting up mobile stations to issue a card to these guys so they can get bank accounts and houses and cars. OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!
Talk to you soon. “

A friends return email:

“just talked to [the victims] tonight after I received this email. I was just totally appalled! I feel SO BAD for them!
She said they were just so devastated, that they didn’t even
want to tell anyone. They had NO Christmas! I feel so bad for their 6 year old son & other 2 kids. Thank God she wasn't killed! [victim] said they took $1700 from her - it was all the money they had for Christmas. I asked about their parents, and they said, yes, that they knew... but that they didn't want to go anywhere at all for Christmas. [victim] was so traumatized that they didn't even want to leave the house.”