Recession Proof? Truly Coyote Ugly…
Since the economy started to seriously slide in late 2008, immigration savants have pointed to a deflating economy as a self-starting defense against illegal immigration. The reasoning went that fewer U.S. jobs and opportunities would make immigrating to the United States less appealing, and also force some currently in the United States to relocate back to their home countries in the face of beefed up security and crackdowns, and slim pickings when it came to actual work. However, the business for those who smuggle immigrants into the United States, and then internally from coast to coast have revealed that their business has not been too affected by the economy. In fact, according to El Diario/La Prensa, a Spanish language newspaper from New York, the price of transporting an illegal immigrant has increased, and coyotes are still enjoying a lucrative and very dangerous existence.
One Coyote interviewed for the story admitted to a decrease in “sales” during the fall months, but said that the business has righted itself in the months since. “Last September, I got scared because the business went down 50 percent,” said the coyote originally from El Salvador and living in New Jersey. “But the truth is that it has been picking up slowly, although the price for bringing someone went up almost $1,000.”
Regardless of the monetary price, hiring a coyote can often cost much more, as they’re known as being heartless and ruthless, doing anything to extort family members for more money and caring little for the safety or well-being of those they are smuggling. But it is one business that is likely to remain profitable, as another smuggler, the Mexican born Raul said, “As long as there is hunger in other countries, the U.S. will always be the paradise to satiate it.”