Tornado Brings Together Alabama Town Fractured by Immigration Debate

"For years before a tornado hit, few besides the immigrants who work at nearby poultry plants ventured down the pothole-rutted dirt roads of "Little Mexico."  The community, whose official name is Kilpatrick, comprises a large population of Latin American residents who previously mingled very little with the white, English-speaking natives.  Oddly enough, it was the twister, with its 125 mph destructive winds and home-wrecking fury, that began bringing the two groups together, even as it tore much of what they owned apart.  People began working together clearing away debris and wreckage after the storm without regard to language or culture, and folks suddenly were getting along better.  Jacky Clayton, assistant police chief in Crossville, which includes part of Kilpatrick, doesn't know exactly what happened, but he said things seem less tense now.  "Maybe it's just a little more understanding of brotherly love," Clayton said." - Associated Press, May 28, 2013.

"Rosemarie Chavez of Kilpatrick, Ala., stands in front of her garage where items donated for tornado relief are stored. She has taken on the unofficial role of liaison between immigrant families and Alabama natives."