Nicaraguans Fear Massive Deportations
For many Nicaraguans, both in Costa Rica and in their homeland, the new immigration law that comes into effect today is terrorizing.

In Nicaragua the daily newspaper "La Prensa" ran the headline "Nicas bajo guillotina de Ley Tica" (Nicaraguans under the guillotine of Costa Rican law). Inside, the daily reports on the position of many who believe the strong fall of Nicaraguan labour into Costa Rican, which will greatly affect the "remesas", money sent home by Nicaraguans living and working in Costa Rica.

An estimate places the amount sent home to Nicaragua at ¢150 billion colones (us$291 million dollars) a year.

Others consider that the export of agricultural products will fall some 15% in the face of a reduced labour force, Nicaraguan labourers to who come to Costa Rica to pick fruits and coffee, for example.

The other Nicaraguan daily "El Nuevo Diario" related stories of Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica who fear to fall in the hands of police raids or firings by their bosses who face huge fines.

A large number of Nicaraguan women provide services as "domestics" to many Tico homes. A large majority of the domestics are undocumented and thus living and working illegally in Costa Rica and face immediate detention and deportation.

In the Nicaraguan community in Costa Rica, news of the new regulations spread from mouth to mouth. Many don't believe in the Costa Rican authorities words that they rules are not enforceable due to lack of financial resources to hire more manpower, services and construct buildings to house the detainees.

Another sector affected is the construction industry, as a large number of undocumented Nicaraguans work as general labourers. The sector could see a shortage of low paid labour disappear.

The general consensus is one of skepticism and fear.

The words of the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública that it will continue to respect the rights of immigrants do not appease the skepticism and fear, as the ministry has not come out and said that it will not enforce the law, just that it finds itself in a bind to do so.

Even the words of immigration director, Mario Zamora, who said that there will not be massive deportations and that the immigration service will continue with its normal practice of controlling illegals, do not make the situation easier for the thousands of illegal Nicaraguans who daily live and work in Costa Rica.