Mexican consulate talks to Snow College students

By Benjamin Thornberg

Staff writer

11/21/2019

EPHRAIM— Jose V. Borjon from the Consulate of Mexico in Salt Lake City explained his job as head consul between Utah and Mexico at the Snow College Convocation Series on Thursday.

The Consulate in Salt Lake houses 20 individuals including Borjon whose goal is to help with international relations for people of Spanish or Latino origins.

“We want to multiply our effect and service by partnering with other organizations.” Borjon said. He hopes to expand the Consulate’s work beyond the small branch in Salt Lake.

The Consulate works involves in helping with things such as driving privilege cards, family occasions such as marriage, careers and businesses in Utah.

The population of Mexican individuals has grown to 314,000 in the state today. That began in 1911 when Utah could be considered a young state, and there were as little as 40 people in the state of Mexican heritage. In the next 20 years that number radically increased with the rise of jobs and new opportunities.

Borjon said Utah embraces immigration more openly than many other states in the nation. To showcase examples, Borjon revealed facts such as Utah’s legislature pushed for more positive foreign policies in our laws; and it recognized immigrants as working members of society and acknowledged their contribution to the state’s growing economy and well being.

“We are partners, we are friends, we are family and we should respect that and support it,” Borjon said.

Borjon graduated the National University of Mexico with a degree in national relations; he as previously been part of the embassy in Washington D.C. as well as in Texas, Korea and currently Utah.