Raoul Morales of Carthage would rather be in Guatemala, spending Christmas with his parents and siblings. But his job at a Springdale meat packing plant is more important to his family, so this year's Feliz Navidad will be spent with friends and relatives in Greater Cincinnati.

Carmen Medina of Southgate, with her daughters Maria and Melissa, holds a photo of her husband, who is in Puerto Rico. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        In fact, many Hispanics who live on both sides of the Ohio to work, will be spending Christmas here even though they'll send most of their earnings to family back home in Mexico or Central America.

        For them, Christmas can be a lonely time.

        “It's difficult to be so far from your family now,” said Mr. Morales through an interpreter.

        “I've returned to Guatemala five times since I first came to (the United States) 11 years ago. But I couldn't go back for Christmas this year.”

        Mr. Morales works at the John Morrell meat packing plant in Springdale, a job that enables him to maintain a life here and to help his family in Guatemala. Without elaborating, he said it was impossible for his two brothers, his sister and his parents to leave Guatemala.

        The Tristate's Hispanic population has more than doubled during the past decade. The 2000 U.S. Census places the number of Hispanics in the eight-county area at 22,000, but those who operate Hispanic service agencies think it's at least double that.

        Sister Margarita Brewer, director of Su Casa, said there are many Hispanic people who make the journey home, to Mexico or elsewhere, for the holidays.

        “But there are many more who cannot leave, who won't see their family,” she added.

        “We try to help any way we can. We hold a special Christmas Eve party at St. Charles (Church in Carthage) to bring everyone together and bring a little of home to them here.”

        The party will include Hispanic food, pinatas, dancing and music.

        Carmen Medina is luckier than many, in that she has two daughters, a grandchild and other relatives in Northern Kentucky who will be with her in her Southgate home for Christmas.

        But she won't deny she misses her native Puerto Rico.

        “My husband is in Puerto Rico. It's about 90 degrees there right now. And I miss the beaches,” she said.

        “But I like it here very much. This country is great. I have a new job with Delta at the airport, and this is now where home will be.”

        For illegal aliens from Mexico, returning home this year is much more difficult and potentially dangerous, especially after the Sept. 11 attacks.

        Doug Mosier, a spokesman at the Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, said that, in the 14 years he has been with the patrol, he has never seen border security so tight. That makes it very difficult for illegals who have gone home for Christmas to get back to their new homes in the United States.

        He said the agency has arrested about 30 percent fewer illegal immigrants in the past two months than during the same period last year.
       

        The Associated Press contributed to this report.
       

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