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US expats in Mexico fear anti-American sentiment
| Published: | 5 Jan at 6 PM |
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Tagged: USA, Citizenship
The Trump campaign’s concentration on offensive anti-Mexican rhetoric is causing long-stay US expats in the country to reconsider their futures.
Around a million US citizens live south of their home country’s borders in Mexico, making up the largest concentration of American expats anywhere in the world. Many are long-stayers, many run successful businesses, many are retirees and many more have Mexican partners and children. A good number are now scared that growing anti-American sentiment will wreck their lives and force them to return to the USA.
According to Barbara Franco, head of the American Benevolent Society, vandalism, physical threats and antipathy are all being shown towards US expats since Trump began his election campaign. The non-profit society, founded 150 years ago, helps US citizens all over the country, with Barbara now dealing with tearful expats worried almost to death about the situation and its effect on their lives and livelihoods.
As reported in Fox News, Mexicans in general have understandingly ridiculed Trump since the start of his campaign, but are now terrified the reality of a Trump presidency will cause chaos in their lives. Fears, the article adds, can easily become the basis for prejudice, with US expats the focus point.
Regional chairman of Democrats Abroad Larry Phil told reporters his group is attempting to distance itself as much as possible from Trump whilst concentrating on being emissaries for everything that’s great about American culture. Phil told reporters Trump’s campaign rhetoric deliberately insulted the country US expats call home, and urged the American community to make it very clear they are as outraged as are Mexicans, many of whom see all Americans as representatives of Trump’s style of ideology.
However, US expats such as Jefferson O’Kysen, who actually voted for Trump, are having to make hard decisions as regards leaving the country as it’s being made clear by locals they’re not welcome any more.
Around a million US citizens live south of their home country’s borders in Mexico, making up the largest concentration of American expats anywhere in the world. Many are long-stayers, many run successful businesses, many are retirees and many more have Mexican partners and children. A good number are now scared that growing anti-American sentiment will wreck their lives and force them to return to the USA.
According to Barbara Franco, head of the American Benevolent Society, vandalism, physical threats and antipathy are all being shown towards US expats since Trump began his election campaign. The non-profit society, founded 150 years ago, helps US citizens all over the country, with Barbara now dealing with tearful expats worried almost to death about the situation and its effect on their lives and livelihoods.
As reported in Fox News, Mexicans in general have understandingly ridiculed Trump since the start of his campaign, but are now terrified the reality of a Trump presidency will cause chaos in their lives. Fears, the article adds, can easily become the basis for prejudice, with US expats the focus point.
Regional chairman of Democrats Abroad Larry Phil told reporters his group is attempting to distance itself as much as possible from Trump whilst concentrating on being emissaries for everything that’s great about American culture. Phil told reporters Trump’s campaign rhetoric deliberately insulted the country US expats call home, and urged the American community to make it very clear they are as outraged as are Mexicans, many of whom see all Americans as representatives of Trump’s style of ideology.
However, US expats such as Jefferson O’Kysen, who actually voted for Trump, are having to make hard decisions as regards leaving the country as it’s being made clear by locals they’re not welcome any more.
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