When Criceida Méndez first arrived in Santa Fe about 15 years ago, she felt overwhelmed by the change. She decided to return to her native Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, but her husband stayed. A year later, she decided to give the United States another try. This time she stayed.

For eight years, she earned her income by cleaning houses. But six years ago, she decided to try her hand as an independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Inc. despite no experience in sales and being unable to speak English.

"I knew that cleaning houses wasn't for me, I knew I could do better," said Méndez, 59, who exudes self-confidence as she walks and speaks in her near-perfect English. She wears honey-colored spiked hair and white nail polish and has a 70-woman team selling makeup.

According to data compiled by the Immigration Policy Center titled "New Americans in the Land of Enchantment; The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos and Asians in New Mexico," Méndez is one of thousands of immigrants in New Mexico who are entrepreneurs and consumers who add billions of dollars to the state's economy.

"With the nation working toward economic recovery, Latinos, Asians and immigrants will continue to play a key role in shaping the economic and political future in the Land of Enchantment," said Seth Hoy, spokesman for the center in Washington.

Méndez's sales team sold a minimum of $54,000 worth of products in the past six months, and for the achievement she earned a new Chevy Equinox.

"We are an immigrant family who contributes to this society," she said, adding that her 28-year-old son in the Army will soon be deployed.

Over the past 20 years, New Mexico's foreign-born population has increased. In 1990, the numbers registered at 5.3 percent, by 2007 they had reached 9.3 percent. The number of naturalized U.S. citizens, meaning people who are now eligible voters, is also growing. In 2007, about 36,000 registered voters in the state were what the report calls "New Americans," people who are either naturalized citizens or U.S.-born children of immigrants.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2009 naturalization ceremonies in Albuquerque and Santa Fe resulted in 1,654 new citizens, 150 of whom were from Santa Fe. As of February, 484 immigrants had become naturalized citizens, said María Elena García-Upson, spokeswoman for Immigration Services in Dallas.

Data show that in 2008 in New Mexico, more than 1,900 Mexicans, 34 Guatemalans and 45 Chinese immigrants became naturalized citizens.

Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, have a billion-dollar purchasing power, the report indicates.

In 2009, the purchasing power of Latinos in New Mexico totaled $17.9 billion, and Asian buying power was $1.1 billion. And in 2004, undocumented immigrants contributed $64.7 million in sales, income and property taxes.

Alejandra Seluja, business development director for Guadalupe Credit Union, said immigrants are taking advantage of the low home prices and are buying homes for the first time. Just in the past four months, Seluja has financed four homes and has three more pending. At least one client is financing an investment property, she said.

"For the most part, these are people who have saved up for a long time and are now taking advantage of the opportunity," Seluja said.

In New Mexico, political leaders acknowledge the contributions made by immigrants, which is why city, county and state officials support comprehensive immigration reform.

Last week, the city of Santa Fe passed a unanimous resolution in support of immigration reform; in January, the Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners approved a similar document, and in September 2009 the New Mexico Municipal League also approved a resolution asking Congress to pass immigration reform legislation.

Contact Sandra Baltazar Martínez at 986-3062 or smartinez@sfnewmexican.com.