Illegal immigration problems in Nashville? (Franklin: condo, homes, neighborhoods)

[applejuice]

Originally Posted by katcha70

Thanks applejuice for clearing up that not everyone that speaks spanish is Mexican or illegal. I lived in Georgia for 2 years and everyone there assumed that my husband was Mexican when in fact his parents are Cuban. My co-workers in Georgia were shocked that I was a natural and spoke spanish. Theses things scare me about the South. I am considering a move to Nashville and am very concerned with against us just because of our spanish last name. I also try to speak to my kids in spanish and they will thank me for it in the future .

Katcha70,

My sister lives in Tennessee and speaks Spanish to her kids...she has numerous Hispanic friends and she has never felt uncomfortable except once many years ago when she first moved. I think Tenn has changed a lot in the ten years that I have visited. She looks very very "Hispanic" or what most people think of Hispanic. I don't look "Hispanic" and my last name is not Hispanic so when I speak in Spanish it shocks people!!

I think some people don't realize that many people around the world speak Spanish aside from Mexico and they can be blond and blue eyes! I think it is a stereotypical image that all Spanish speakers are Mexican illegals that work in the crop field.

I am originally from Miami where Hispanics are very wealthy and have prominent positions. However, where I live in Georgia the image of Hispanics is different. Aside from having fun with my fellow Georgians when I speak Spanish, I also have fun with Mexican workers (I can tell by their accent) when I understand what they are saying and I have embaressed a couple of them

I think you will be fine...my sis has been there about 10yrs and is very happy.

Good Luck

[katcha70]

I'm from Miami as well.

[shadowwalker]

I have only been here 4 years. I can tell the negative impact of it. More crime,for one. I see alot more when I am out and about. My wife is a nurse. She says more unpaid bills at the hospital. They can't be turned away and just walk out after treatment. Not intending to pay anything. They just move or change names. If needed.
No one is holding them responable for their being here.

[nbourbaki]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

I have only been here 4 years. I can tell the negative impact of it. More crime,for one. I see alot more when I am out and about. My wife is a nurse. She says more unpaid bills at the hospital. They can't be turned away and just walk out after treatment. Not intending to pay anything. They just move or change names. If needed.
No one is holding them responable for their being here.

yeah, look at how easy they have it!

[Pimpy]

I really hope the above post isn't sarcastic, because shadowwalker is spot-on.

[JRDaniel]

I own a business in Smyrna and actually have a number of Hispanic employees. While I have enjoyed working with and getting to know them over the last 8 years, as well as learning Spanish to deal with the Hispanic labor market (well-known issue in my industry) I also recognize the problems stemming from illegal immigration. I see outrageous document fraud and other abuses on a routine basis .

I also lived in one of the areas known for Hispanic immigrant influx (South Nashville) and know first hand how it impacts a community - for example, the driving issues (my son's car was totaled by an illegal/ unlicensed driver who had no ID, no insurance, etc...needlessly endangering his life.

I also moved to Smyrna because of the changes in my neighborhood as it was/ is no longer the same place I chose to live in 12 years before. My culture is as important to me as everyone else's and I have a right to it in my own country. Seems Americans have forgotten that we're as important as everyone else.

I've also gone to the emergency room to find it overcrowded by Hispanics who use it as their "health plan" because it's paid for by taxpayers.

In short - YES - Nashville has HUGE immigration issues - and not just with Hispanics. In our old neighborhood, it is said Glencliff High School alone has over 27 different languages and has the single highest dropout and suspension rate in the city. That's not to say immigration doesn't have positive aspects as well - but all in all, illegal immigration is a negative in Nashville, IMO.

Immigration should be at a rate that allows the community to adjust and the newcomers to assimilate rather than try to establish their own separate cultures within ours - that's a bad plan and it's happened in Nashville and continues today.

[vincero]

Applejuice and "wow" man - Please stow the self righteous attitude. No one said that all the crimes, overcrowding, drunk driving ills of the world are because of or due to illegal immigrants. We have quite enough of our own illiterate, drunken, woman abusing, life threatening hicks to deal with, without having to deal with Mexico's, as well.

katcha, I would be interested to know whether you can tell the difference, right off the bat, between an American of Swedish descent and and American of Danish descent, just by listening to them and looking at them. You couldn't do it to save your life, yet you feel justified in getting huffy because people didn't automatically know your husband was Cuban. Mistakes like that are understandable and do not signify anything nefarious.

[4wainwrights]

what about the burbs? same problems out there? eg. m'boro, hendersonville....

[Mike in TN]

I've never noticed any illegal immigration problems in M'boro. I'm sure there are people here illegally, but I don't think they cause any more problems than the citizens here.

[manny1031]

I'm glad this politically incorrect issue has been brought up. I say that because I am an American of Hispanic descent and am seriously considering moving to Franklin with my wife and daughter. When the issue of illegal immigration is brought up, you can sometimes get an idea of people's general sentiments regarding Hispanics. While I abhor illegal immigration, I get concerned when people view all Hispanics in a negative light simply because illegals and Americans of Hispanic descent who were born in this country like I was share similar sounding surnames. All I'm looking for wherever I live - and I plan on visiting Nashville and specifically Franklin soon to get a feel for the area and the school system - is to be treated like I treat others regardless of what I look like. Franklin appears, from the research I've done on the internet, to be a nice place to live and raise a family. And Nashville was voted by Kiplinger magazine relatively recently as one of the smartest places to live.