Traditionally. in my State of New Mexico and throughout the Southwest. colonias referred to longestablished. unincorporated small towns with rich community heritages. Over the past decade. colonias have also come to refer to densely populated. povertystricken communities that have sprung up along the border in the past 10 to 15 years. They are often populated primarily by MexicanAmericans and legal immigrants working as seasonal farm laborers. These are decent. honest. hardworking people trying their best to create a good life for themselves and their families. The tragedy of these new colonias. however. is that they are typified by desperate poterty. by severe overcrowding. by inadequate housing. by pathetic roads. and. most important for purposes of the bill before us. by nonexistent drinking and waste water services.
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immigrants