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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It is the most populous Spanish-speaking country on the continent, and the only one sharing a border to the south of the United States.
It is no surprise the majority of Hispanic immigrants in Indiana come from Mexico.
In fact, Mexico has 50 consulates across the U.S. You might be surprised to learn one of them is in Indianapolis.
In the city of Indianapolis is someone who holds a unique and rare position. Luis Franco represents Mexico’s Government, as the head of the Consulate.
"According to me, it’s a very friendly state," said Luis Franco, Consul of Mexico. "They respect and support immigrants."
In that role for the last year, his is the only nation on Earth with a full-time Consulate office in the Circle City.Think of the office as an extension of the Mexican Embassy, following the lead of the ambassador.They offer the same services and carry out the same official functions as an embassy.Franco explained "The Consulate working in this capital city of Indianapolis, it’s a must. Our community has grown tremendously."They serve around 300,000 to 400,000 Mexican nationals in the region, which he said includes two-thirds of Indiana and Ohio, all of Kentucky and southern Illinois.Roughly 80,000 Mexican nationals live in the Indy metro. That’s why Mexico’s leaders chose Indianapolis, back in 2002.Franco’s staff regularly travels around the region to help Mexican nationals get passports and issue IDs and birth certificates.They also have a program that gives abused women advice on domestic violence situations, and even […]
This story is part of our ‘News from Around the Web’ publication, continue reading the story here: Meet Luis Franco, Consul of Mexico
