Walker asks Mexican government to open consulate in Wisconsin

Gov. Scott Walker sent a letter to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Eduardo Medina Mora, Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S., urging the Mexican government to open a consulate in the state. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 355,000 Hispanics call Wisconsin home, and the nearest consulate in Chicago is backlogged, causing delays in paperwork. Meanwhile, Hispanic-owned businesses, which generate $2.4 billion in sales and employ almost 11,000 people in Wisconsin, have grown at a rate of 7.6% over the past year. Mexico is also Wisconsin’s second-largest export market.