Now El Paso-Juarez is a huge metropolitan area of 2 million people separated by an almost invisible boundary line and the river. Cities sit side by side. El Paso, 17th largest city in the U.S., is also the fifth poorest metropolitan area in our country. A third of households live below the poverty line. In the poorest areas, hugging the border, over half of adults have no high school diploma.
Unemployment rates are double-digit figures.
A quarter of the residents were born outside the U.S. Schools offer hope to the hardworking residents. Outside the city limits, people live in unplanned settlements known as colonias. These places are also home to rich cultural heritage, such as the Socorro Mission. Community Partnerships branches out to many faculty, students, and partners, including schools. We have task forces in education, immigration the environment, and economic development.