REPÚBLICA DEL ECUADOR
CONSULADO HONORARIO
New York Plaza – Suite 200
1304 East Lake Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407 – USA
Phone: 612-721-6468
Fax: 612-625-1955
E-Mail: consul@consuladoecuatoriano.org
Página Web: http://www.consuladoecuatoriano.org/
September 25, 2006
As you requested, my responses to the questions posed by our allies in the Jewish community are below:
1) What are main reasons why people from Ecuador are migrating to the United States?
The fundamental reason, from a macro-economic perspective, is globalization. Globalization implies the massive movement of goods, services, information, and people, on an unprecedented scale, and it is generally people that are the most vulnerable and expendable. In the particular case of Ecuador, the phenomenon of Globalization led to the economic process known as “dolarization,” in the year 2000. Today, the unit of currency of the country of Ecuador is the US dollar. Although Ecuadorians had migrated overseas for many years before the year 2000, this single event accelerated exponentially the pace of the Ecuadorian Diaspora. Today, nearly one-fourth of the population of Ecuador lives outside the country. The money sent home by Ecuadorians living overseas is the second largest source of income for the country, after petroleum. Minnesota, in particular, has been a destination of choice for many Ecuadorians because of the many work opportunities available in the service sector, the high quality of life of the state, the opportunities for family reunification, and a relatively low cost-of-living as compared to Miami, New York, Chicago or Los Angeles—the other popular destinations for Ecuadorians in the US.
2) What are the most serious problems confronting immigrants coming to the United States and Minnesota today?
Access to driver’s licenses, education (including ESL), and healthcare as well as numerous entanglements in the pursuit of such mundane vital documents as marriage licenses, passports for their US-born children, and others. The most severe consequences, of the punitive system currently in place, are visited upon the US-born children of immigrants. They presently do not qualify for resident tuition for educational purposes and they experience directly the most severe psychological consequences of family separation due to their parents being deported.
3) What are the most important policy changes needed at the Federal level to improve the lives of immigrants, documented and undocumented, in the United States?
We need sensible legislation to accommodate for the nation’s great need for unskilled labor.
4) What can the Jewish community and members of synagogues do in Minnesota to support the immigrant community?
In our unique experiment in democracy in the US, decisions are made by those who show up. Become aware of the issues and get involved in the decision-making process.
Cordialmente,
Juan C. Moreno
Cónsul Honorario del Ecuador