Palza added that the contributions made by Mexican government agencies are meant to encourage development, create new infrastructure and improve employment opportunities.

"The space that the Mexican government is trying to foster and develop is to stop the flow of immigrant workers to this country by retaining them in productive jobs," Palza said. "It's the whole purpose of the Three to One program."

Graduates of the first class have ambitious projects planned, some of which have already begun. Salvador Lazalde, a Murray resident, has already raised money to build new roads in his native Santa Rosa in the state of Zacatecas. Other plans just getting off the ground include constructing a new municipal building, rebuilding a church, and establishing new markets in the U.S. for Mexican produce growers.

In addition to Lazalde, graduates of the class are Orlando Medina, Arsenio Gonzalez, Luis Munoz, Jose Ortega, Juan Arechiga, Miguel Lopez and Raul Lopez.

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