News

Group's survey shows most immigrants come from Mexico

By Sam Lucero
Compass Staff

GREEN BAY -- In an effort to better serve the growing Latino population in northeastern Wisconsin, an interfaith social justice group recently conducted a survey of more than 200 Latino immigrants living in the Appleton and Oshkosh areas.

The survey, conducted by ESTHER (Empowerment, Solidarity, Truth, Hope, Equality and Reform), a congregation-based justice ministry in the Fox Valley, asked immigrants to provide background information on themselves, such as their native country, why they left and where they work. They were also asked to indicate problems they have experienced and what services could be offered to assist them.

The survey was funded by a grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

"It wasn't really a census," said Fr. Joe Mattern, retired pastor of St. Mary Parish, Omro, "but it ended up with a lot of census data. We didn't directly ask if they were undocumented; that wasn't our purpose."

Fr. Mattern and Carlos Herrera, Hispanic ministry coordinator at St. Therese Parish in Appleton, are members of ESTHER and helped organize the survey.

More than 20 people volunteered to conduct the surveys, said Herrera. A training session for interviewers was held Sept. 15 and the surveys were all returned by Nov. 18. "All the interviewers really enjoyed it because they met a lot of people ... and learned more about the needs of other people."

According to a summary provided by Herrera, 257 people - 145 in Appleton and 112 in Oshkosh - responded to the survey. Of those indicating their country of origin, the majority, 100, listed Mexico. The average amount of time the Appleton respondents have lived in the United States was nearly nine years. In Oshkosh, the number was just over 10 years.

The survey included questions about legal residency, and 34 percent of the Appleton respondents stated they are U.S. citizens, while 26 percent noted that they do not have documentation. In Oshkosh, 59 percent stated they are legal residents and 29 percent said they are undocumented.

The second half of the survey asked about employment, as well as positive and negative experiences.

Those responding to the survey are employed in service industries such as restaurants, offices and child care. Other common jobs include construction, agriculture and factory work.

A majority of respondents in both locations listed traveling as a problem. Acquiring drivers' licenses, housing and jobs were also mentioned. "They don't have the possibility to go with their families" to visit relatives in Mexico or elsewhere, said Herrera.

Asked to list positive experiences with schools, work places, hospitals, churches, stores, banks and police, churches (Appleton, 91 percent) and stores (Oshkosh, 92 percent) were rated highest. Police were rated lowest (Appleton, 74 percent, Oshkosh, 64 percent).

"They want more organization. They want more opportunities to learn English and get drivers' licenses," said Fr. Mattern. "A lot of them have fears about what is going to happen with immigration issues; we would say that what they are really asking for are (immigration) reforms."

Herrera said that a lot of immigrants want to learn English, but their work schedules don't allow them the chance. "They are asking for alternatives to learn (English) because they are working and have busy days," he said. "They are asking for different times to take classes."

On Dec. 3, Fr. Mattern and Herrera met with representatives of the Green Bay Diocese to share the survey findings.

"I see a great value in doing any survey, especially this kind, because you know what the community needs are," said Sr. Guadalupe Munoz, manager of community outreach and Hispanic services for Catholic Charities. Sr. Guadalupe, along with Norbertine Br. Steve Herro, social concerns director, and Carlos Hernandez, director of Hispanic Ministry, attended the Dec. 3 meeting.

It is too early to say how the diocese can implement the survey results in outreach efforts, said Sr. Guadalupe, but she looks forward to more information.

Herrera said that transportation and English classes offered at flexible times are services the diocese can consider in its outreach ministries.

He emphasized that Latino immigrants "really want to work together with the Anglo community, even when we have a language barrier."

"We could prove that we can work together, even when we don't have the same language," he added. "The survey helps us to know that the Hispanic community is working very hard. A lot of business organizations are very happy and working with the Hispanic community."