A report in the Wall Street Journal  that focuses on Mexican immigants, shows that unemployment rates have risen faster for foreign-born hispanics than they have for the general population.

The article, by Miriam Jordan, also discusses the number of Mexicans who have registered their U.S. born children with the Mexican consulate in order to secure Mexican citizenship for them if they decide to return to Mexico.

According to the article, 20,791 such children were registered in 2006 compared to 32,517 between January and September 2008. Mexican consulates also report a surge in “personal effects permits” that allow nationals to transfer their household goods to Mexico without paying import taxes.

Other applications for identity cards that make it easier for Mexican nationals to stay in the U.S. are down dramatically, according to the article, which leads to speculation that many are preparing to head home to face the economic downturn.