Rising number of Latinos spurs English language debate in Carroll County

Even though the immigrant population has helped the economy of this area, some residents are worried about them and are trying to pass an English only law, which would be only symbolic.   - - Donna Poisl

By Julie Scharper, The Baltimore Sun

Amid the quaint brick storefronts of Westminster's Main Street, Lily's Mexican Market sells Virgin of Guadalupe statues, sacks of dried beans and paddle-shaped cactus leaves. A mile away, the aisles of Las Palmeras grocery store are stocked with Salvadoran cheeses and pastries. A nearby Catholic church draws more than 200 people to a Spanish Mass each Sunday.

Mexican and Central American immigrants have flocked to Carroll County over the past decade, drawn by pastures and orchards that remind them of the rural villages in which they were raised. Some followed family members here; others sought to live among those who share their traditional values. Many say they felt welcome here, at least until a commissioner began a push to make English the county's official language.

"We support the economy here. We respect the laws. We pay rent. We pay taxes," said Gregoria Hernandez, who opened Lily's with her husband last year. "We're a fountain of business. Why would they not want us here?"
Click on the HEADLINE above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.