Cry us a Rio Grande River.
South Texas tourism promoters are blaming the “Trump Effect” for an apparent dip in wealthy Mexicans coming across the border to shop till they drop.
Though recent sales figures aren’t yet available for the 2018 “Semana Santa” Easter shopping pilgrimage, Ramiro Cavazos, CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, pointed an accusing finger at immigration policies emanating from the White House.
“Just the hassle of people bothering you, asking for information about whether you’re a citizen or just the negative effect, the intimidation factor, an unpleasant environment that they perceive might be in the U.S. the now last year and a half,” Cavazos told the San Antonio Express-News.
“The Mexican visitor no longer feels welcome,” declared Eduardo Bravo, past president of the Association of Mexican Entrepreneurs.
We’re not aware of any merchants or mall cops demanding to see papers. Nor is there any indication that Border Patrol agents are rifling through the mounds of merchandise being hauled back to Mexico.
In fact, Mexican shopping jaunts are a pretty big deal in Texas, which exempts all sales taxes on items that are taken across the border within 30 days of purchase.
“Manifestos” filed by Mexican buyers allowed more than $48 million in sales taxes to go uncollected from 2012-2017.
Such policies show how Texas and the United States are open for business – legitimate business. If people are going to be offended when the Trump administration carries out reasonable and legitimate enforcement of this nation’s immigration laws, they can do their tax-free shopping elsewhere.
11 Comments
Would that be rich Mexican cartel members afraid to cross the border?
I wonder if I, as a US citizen and resident of Louisiana, could cross the border to Texas and do all of my my shopping to avoid both Texas & Louisiana sales tax? I thought Texas had a tax on sales, not just on citizens. It always seems that citizens pay for everything and aliens get a free ride.
I recently spent a month in Deming, New Mexico and was not alarmed by the hordes of Mexicans shopping in the local Walmart Super Center. I was a little disturbed at trying to get the Illegals to stop visiting and blocking the aisles and to move so we Americans could shop in our store. There were no local or State Police, I.C.E. or Border Patrol Agents in sight or parked in the parking lot. Interesting to me was that the Border Patrol has a huge headquarters and training complex located on J Street in Deming and that there are known Illegal Aliens residing in that small (sanctuary – ?) town. One woman – an Illegal Alien – is known to the public to be living there for more than 35 years, yet the Border Patrol has done nothing to find and deport her.
report her to ICE ………..SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHING , dont just expect them to do anything unless LEGAL US CITIZENS START COMPLAINING if after you report her nothing is done then come back and re post ..REPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS TO ICE if you see them at home depot looking for work report them if you see them mowing your neighbors lawn report them if you see them shopping report them THIS IS OUR COUNTRY …REPORT THESE INVADING ILLEGALS EVERY TIME YOU SEE THEM
I have made three or four reports to ice and Sherifs dept. here in California. I live near a “safe house”. Thats been a year ago and I still see daily illegal activities and people. They are all nice to your face but behind my back I hear them lying to others and teaching their children to do the same. They are the only ones that can afford three bmw’s.
Good they can stay in mexico where there is no legitimate government and the cartels run everything !!!
The reason why Mexicans are not shopping in Texas is because they are afraid of the Mexican cartels and the Mexican Army gun battles every day in the border towns of Texas and Tamaulipas and not because the immigration enforcement changes
I will NEVER visit Mexico and could care less if the “wealthy” Mexicans visit/shop in TX mainly cause I don’t live there but also I am sick of dealing with all the illegals in my state…all disgusting jerks who take, take and take and have major entitlement issues also thinking that is perfectly fine to be here and that they are owed…
Tax-free shopping for the rich Mexicans sounds good, but the trade -off is when they stay in hotels and eat in restaurants, they can’t stay away from paying Taxes.
I did not feel welcome there either.
Having previously visited Mexico several times, I never felt welcome anywhere unless I had a $10 bill extended. Beyond that, wasn’t welcome and didn’t feel safe.