Departing Mexican consul takes look back - and ahead

Rosa Ramirez, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 8, 2006 at midnight

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Juan Marcos Gutierrez, the face of the Mexican government in Denver for nearly three years, is heading home for a new job - and with a new wife.

The general consul of Mexico in Denver has been appointed to a high-ranking position with the Ministry of Public Administration in Mexico City, which fights corruption, among other things.

"There's a mix of sensations. Denver is a beautiful place to live. I like the mountains, snow, and like to ski," he said. "I've met a lot of people (here), including my future wife."

Gutierrez, 37, is scheduled to be married in Denver in February. The couple will live in Mexico City, he said.

This year, Colorado lawmakers passed a package of bills to discourage illegal immigration, including one that seeks to deny most governmental services to people who can't demonstrate they are in the country legally.

In an interview Thursday, Gutierrez talked about those new laws, the challenges of the job, and the case of accused cop-killer Raul Gomez-Garcia.

His answers have been edited for space and clarity.

What was the most challenging part of your work here?

There were three significant challenges that I'm proud of how we dealt with them.

I have traveled the state and have visited with local government officials and legislators. The political relations between the Mexican government and Colorado have improved.

Moving into the new building, where there is more space, was a big step. We're able to improve the image and how we provide service.

Finally, the Raul Gomez-Garcia case. I'm proud we did the right thing. Gomez-Garcia was located and detained in record time. He was extradited in record time. And he faced Colorado's justice within the frame of Colorado law and international law.

What is the immigration climate in Colorado?

The way those new laws are being applied has created confusion and fear and consequences that were not intended. Children born here are being denied services because their parents, who are applying on their behalf, can't provide proof of legal residence. U.S. citizens are having trouble getting driver's licenses. In correctional departments, people are being barred from visiting detainees because they don't have a valid identification.

Do you think the laws, to some degree, are achieving the goal of reducing illegal immigration?

No. Illegal immigration is a shared responsibility that needs to be dealt with from both sides of the border. It's not as simple as Mexico having a surplus of workers and the U.S. needing cheap labor. Mexico needs to offer opportunities for people to develop. But even if we gave every single person a job, you still have a neighboring country whose economy is 10 times bigger. People will want to migrate to where there is an opportunity for better living conditions. The U.S. government should make laws that allow immigrant workers to come and work here in a legal, safe and humane fashion.

Have those laws created a climate of fear, prompting people to leave or pass by Colorado?

People feel the fear, but no one is leaving or coming to Colorado based on those laws. The key element in moving from one place to another is if there is a job for them. Nobody is looking at the laws when they are deciding to move.

What impact did the Raul Gomez-Garcia case have on Mexican nationals in Colorado?

It had a very bad impact. It fueled anti-immigrant sentiments and fueled another myth that immigrants commit more crimes. It made illegal immigration more prominent in the minds of people. The case was used by some politicians to say, "See that? Let's deport them all." But, sadly, these kinds of crimes happen within every society. Gomez-Garcia probably never imagined that his act not only put away a human life but fueled anger and resentment against Mexicans and Latins.

What impact did the massive immigration rallies of last spring have?

As an outside observer, I can say they didn't do much, in practical terms. I don't think they touched the hearts of decision-makers. Shortly after the rallies, there was a special session on immigration that passed a package of anti-illegal immigration laws. The rallies did, however, help in getting people more aware of the debate on illegal immigration.

Mexican Consulate

The consulate is headed by Juan Marcos Gutierrez and serves Colorado and Wyoming.

• Location: 5350 Leetsdale Drive, Denver, 80246

• What it does: provides services to Mexican nationals, such as issuing birth certificates, passports, as well as non-Mexican nationals, assisting with documents such as those needed to live in Mexico, get married there, or buy property there.

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