Katrina Brought a Wave of Hispanics

[snopes]

For proof that Hurricane Katrina is transforming the ethnic flavor of New Orleans - and creating altogether new tensions - look no further than the taco trucks.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...TAM&SECTION=US

[Astra]

Not just in New Orleans, either. Even over here the Latino population has skyrocketed. We've got new shops that advertise "Mexican groceries" and have signs in Spanish. Some of the smaller apartment complexes near the university are almost entirely populated with Mexican guys who came here to work construction. At work I'm dealing with a lot more Hispanic customers and we kind of communicate via pointing when common language fails.

[snopes]

Jefferson Parish politicians, who have long turned a blind eye to whites and blacks peddling shrimp out of pickup trucks and snow cones on the street, recently outlawed rolling Mexican-food kitchens, calling them an unwelcome reminder of what Hurricane Katrina brought.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...,5427230.story

[Astra]

There was a local news report on the radio the other day that New Orleans police are having a problem with robbers. They have figured out that many of the Mexican construction workers are paid in cash and the criminals are targeting them. I think they said there had been 18 such robberies in the past couple of months. The police sounded particularly concerned because they said the LA Hispanic gangs started due to similar circumstances - Hispanics were being victimized, so they ganged together to defend themselves (and then some).