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Immigrants in Kansas City hope millions allocated to Mexican consulates will help friends, family

Posted at 4:26 PM, Mar 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-05 18:28:54-05

Mexico is allocating $54 million to 50 consulates throughout the United States, including right here in the Kansas City metro. 

There is still no word yet on just how much money will go to the Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City. 41 Action News is told by the Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City it is up to the Mexican Secretariat for Foreign Affairs in Mexico City to decided how to allocate the money based on where the money is needed the most. 

For 22-year-old Carmalita, who’s parents are undocumented from Ecuador, it means help for her friends from Mexico.

“I think that gives hope to my friends it makes me happy for them because I know that it will help them out with whatever paperwork that they need to fill out,” said Carmalita. 

The money will also be used to hire 320 temporary workers to provide a number of services to Mexican immigrants here in the US. Immigration attorney Catalina Velarde says she sometimes refers her clients to the consulate for help.

“They have a lot of classes, presentations, sessions to help people know their rights maybe in regards to immigration laws in regards to labor law, in regards to all sorts of other areas,” said Velarde.

The consulates will also start producing birth certificates for Mexican immigrants who do not have one.

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Ali Hoxie can be reached at ali.hoxie@kshb.com

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