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Thousands of Ticos Live Illegally in the United States
A report in the Sunday edition of the Spanish language newspaper La Nación says that the notion that Costa Ricans ("Ticos") don't emigrate is a thing of the past. And the consulates of the major cities in the United States confirm it.

The report says that there are some many Ticos living in the U.S. that in some places like New Jersey, you can shop buy "natillas Dos Pinos", buy Tico food in restaurants and watch Costa Rican channel 6 (Repretel) and 7 (Teletica). And of course, you cannot forget the Salza Lizano.

According to the United States census of 2000, there are officially 70.000 Costa Ricans living in the United States. However, consulates estimate that number to nearly 220.000 when you count the illegals, which make up the majority of Ticos in the U.S.

Costa Rica is far from being one of the countries that loses it's citizens to the U.S. According to the Costa Rican chancellor, Roberto Tovar, the U.S. has never expressed a concern for this. Notwithstanding, the number of Ticos immigrating to the U.S. - legally and illegally - in on the increase, the La Nación report says.

In Chicago alone 8 Ticos have have been deported in the last months alone, according to Juan Salas, the consulate in that city. Ricardo González, the consulate in Los Angeles, says that he signed a convention with that city so that Ticos can get free medical services. In New York, the consulate there, otto Vargas, is mobile, visiting different Tico communities on weekends.

The La Nación reporters visited several Tico communities in Trenton and Bound Brook and to their surprise they could buy "pan tico" - Tico bread - and saw many Costa Rican flags inside the shops.

The reporters found that Ticos who entered the U.S. illegal don't have such a 'rosy' life. In the U.S. they clean homes, wash dishes in restaurants and occupy many of the menial jobs that they wouldn't do at home in Costa Rica.

Most of the illegals enter by way of Mexico and then purchase false documents to gain employment. Many told the La Nación reporters that they fear going to public places where there is high security and will accept low paying jobs, sometimes well below the minimum wage and can live up to 8 people in a basement apartment.

The cold weather and the language are other problems faced by Tico immigrants. Many have never seen show other than in the movies and have never felt the freezing cold winds and temperatures of the northern climate.

One of the consequences of immigration, according to the studies done by the Ministerio de Trabajo and the Universidad de Costa Rica, is the disintegration of the family unit. At the New York consulate, they say that up to 30 divorce petitions are processed there each month.

Many of the immigrations plan to go for a "couple" of years. However, many manage to legalize their status and integrate themselves in the society and stay. After several years, they only think of returning to Costa Rica to retire.

Many of the immigrants are entrepreneurs, starting their own businesses and even though are illegal in the country, they pay taxes. The fear of deportation is constant.

According to Hernán Marín, of the Asociación de Costarricenses en Trenton, the Costa Rican government under estimates the migration of Costa Ricans to the U.S. He said that other countries work to obtain amnesties and benefits for their people, while Costa Rica does not.

Chancellor Tovar showed surprise on the number of illegal Ticos in the U.S. and the number of deportations that occur each year, added that he has yet to receive a request for help by any one of them.

A similar situation is occurring in Canada. No numbers are available as to how many Ticos live in Canada - legal and illegal - it is estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Costa Ricans can obtain visitor visas to the Canada and then begin the process of legalizing their status once the visa period expires.