Honduran Immigrants in New Orleans: Fleeing Mitch, Katrina and Now the U.S. Government

It is estimated that 120,000 Hondurans lived in the New Orleans area. Many were refugees from Hurricane Mitch, which devastated Honduras in 1998 killing up to 10,000 people. Others came to the area to work at Louisiana's ports and fisheries. Now in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this community is on the move again. Though the U.S granted temporary legal status for the Honduran victims of Mitch, others are undocumented and fear deportation - and it is unclear how the U.S government will handle their citizenship status.

According to an article in Inter Press Service, Honduran ambassador to the United States Norman Garcia lamented that the offers of food, medical and logistical support made by Latin American and Caribbean governments have been turned down.

Mexico's consul in Houston told IPS "undocumented migrants live in a state of terror."

Democracy Now! traveled to Louisiana this weekend and spoke with some of the Honduran survivors there. Just out of New Orleans is the community of Gonzales.

* Jorge Vitanza, Honduran Consular Agent.
* Santa, Honduran immigrant.
* Melissa Gutierrez, the pastor of Healing Place church in Gonzales, LA.
* Mirta Flores, Honduran immigrant.

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http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/13/1354211