Undocumented Mexicans immigrants, recently arrived in New York City, find they are sleeping and looking for food on the streets, unable to find work in a city that is experiencing the same economic downturn felt across the country.
Sleeping in public parks, on church steps, often a bicycle is their only transportation, they go to restaurants and ask for food at the service entrance; this is how they manage to survive.
The number of Mexican homeless grows with the rise in unemployment, commented several Mexican restaurant owners in Manhattan, who donate food from their kitchens every night to people who come asking for some nourishment.
One restaurant owner pointed out that in the past few months he has seen more homeless Mexicans looking for food in the streets.
“Many of them don’t speak Spanish and they have no one to help them. I am deeply saddened to see so many of our people in those conditions, some are so young and they are in the streets,” said this restaurant owner, who wished to remain anonymous explaining that donating food was an act charity and not to promote himself.
Raul’s story
Raul is one of the homeless who sleeps outside a church each night and who spends the day riding his bicycle. He says being on the street is hard especially in New York, but he continues to look for work; it has been difficult, however, since employers ask for a social security number or a home address.
“I don’t have any of that, no cell phone, not even a home address; I am looking for work but it is not easy. So, I come asking for food while I find some work and get ahead,” said this youth, who at 19 years of age has to deal with the dangers of an unknown city. Raul made his way from Guerrero in search of a better life and today he faces homelessness and the streets.
