Mexico's Fox Urges Protection for Migrants to U.S.

Reuters ^ | November 4, 2003

[sarcasm]

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Mexican President Vicente Fox began a visit to three U.S. border states on Tuesday by pushing for immigration reform and measures to protect illegal migrants from dying in the border's deserts.

Fox said he discussed with Arizona Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano ways to make the border crossing safer for the thousands of people who trek across the Sonoran Desert into Arizona every day.

``We spoke about how Arizona has become a very complicated, and sometimes very violent, entry point for migration, and we tried to find a mechanism to avoid this and avoid the possible deaths of Mexicans,'' Fox told reporters after the meeting.

At least 346 migrants, mostly Mexicans, died crossing into the United States in the 12 months ending in September, U.S. officials say.

After the U.S. government launched the ``Operation Gatekeeper'' crackdown on illegal immigration eight years ago, large numbers of migrants began crossing the desert because fewer border agents patrol that remote area.

Arizona is the most dangerous crossing point because temperatures can soar well above 140 degrees on its desert floor.

Last year, eight migrants were murdered and their bodies dumped at the foot of the White Tank Mountains near Phoenix.

Officials say the victims could have been killed in a turf battle between drug cartels, but many Mexicans suspect armed vigilante groups who patrol the Arizona border to catch illegal migrants and hand them over to the government.

``Mexico has had to pay a very high price, and we immigrants have paid it,'' one migrant from the border state of Chihuahua told Fox later in a meeting with some 3,000 migrants.

Outside that meeting some 20 protesters carried placards reading ``Amnesty is insanity,'' referring to proposals to legalize immigrants' status.

``Illegal immigrants are criminals who should be treated as such,'' one protester shouted.

The deaths, and the treatment of illegal migrants by U.S. officials, are sensitive issues in Mexico. Any success in better protecting migrants or winning a reform of U.S. immigration policy would be a major political victory for Fox.

FOX VISITING THREE STATES

Fox is visiting Arizona, New Mexico and Texas this week to press his campaign for U.S. immigration reform, hoping to win over governors and state legislators as a way of building support for change at the federal level. All three states have large Mexican populations.

Supporters of immigration reform say U.S. agriculture and other industries would face severe labor shortages if it were not for migrant workers. There are several bills in Congress aimed at reforming U.S. immigration law, including proposals to grant temporary ``guest worker'' visas to millions of migrants.

Fox wants broader reform to legalize the status of millions of Mexicans already living and working in the United States.

On the eve of this week's visit, however, he made clear he was now taking a step-by-step approach rather than the aggressive stance adopted early in his government.

Mexico's hopes for sweeping changes to U.S. immigration laws collapsed with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Pentagon. Washington responded by tightening the border and launching its declared war on terror.

Relations between Bush and Fox then soured early this year when Mexico joined France and Germany in opposing U.S. attempts to win U.N. Security Council support for an invasion of Iraq.

After months of tension, the two recently agreed to start talking again and immigration reform is now back on the agenda, although both sides now say they will move cautiously.

[nwrep]

Now why would this greasy senor Vicente even be allowed in the US? Shouldn't we deport him back to Chihuahua or Chalupa?

[DLfromthedesert]

Crocodile tears from this hypocrite. If he cared so much, he would take care of their needs in their OWN country, instead of coming to AZ and crying to Butch.

[Inyo-Mono]

Fox is telling US that we must reform? He ought to be working on reforming that corrupt third world hell hole of a cesspool called Mexico first.

[Mears]

This is a joke,right?

[jmstein7]

Last I checked, Mexican citizens were MEXICO's problem, not ours.

I'm starting to agree with O'Reilly: TROOPS ON THE BORDER!

[vikingcelt]

If only it WERE a joke. This is so absolutely INSANE. Trying to make the border crossing EASIER and SAFER so that this scum can enter OUR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY!!! If this kind of crap is allowed to continue, it is the end of our country as we have known it. It is the absolute end.

[DLfromthedesert]

The scum are the Mexican elites like Fox, NOT the desperate people that are crossing.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Presidente Vinente Fauxey, Sir! Have you ever considered building a wall on your side of the border, that stretches from the gulf of Mexico to the Pacific ocean, to protect those trying to escape your repressive regime in Mexico, from the hazards of the Sonoran desert of southern Arizona, USA. THat is how others of your ilk protected those unappreciative East Germans, from fleeing to the corrupt West, in search of greedy Capitalist dollars.

Your people should not be the concern of Our President, or the responsibility of American tax-payers. You, Vicente are soley responsible for the welfare of your countrymen-that is what they are paying you for.

You could teach us american's a lesson by keeping all your people at home, until we griengo's began to see how much we depended upon those illegal aliens that are flooding across our borders. Make us beg, Vicente, make us beg you to reopen your border and allow our saviours to return.

Hee hee hee, do it Vicente, we dare you!

[PokeyJoe]

Maybe we should offer California back to Russia. then.... when Mexico objects, we don't have a dog in the fight. =)

[Adrastus]

Exactly! Please notice that Mr Fox and his cronies aren't suffering. Mexico is a major oil producer in PEMEX. If the elitests of the Fox variety weren't stealing as much as possible from those revenues Mexico could take care of their own problems. The time honored "mordida" is the most respected law in Mexico.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[sd-joe]

Fox, keep the f***ers home (in Mexico), then no problemo.

[texastoo]

I think we are going to be bombarded with these "poor me" stories from Mexico and Fox for a while.

I inadvertantly ran across this page while searching google.

http://www.immigrationshumancost.org/text/crimevictims.html

On this page are stories of tragedies that have happened to Americans. I knew of some of these stories but not all of them. These are really heartbreaking stories that have happened to Americans because our laws are not enforced.

[kenth]

tried to find a mechanism to avoid this and avoid the possible deaths of Mexicans

Here's one: KEEP 'EM AT HOME!

[Wiggins]

If you want to protect them Mr. Fox, keep them at home. In this case, "fences make good neighbors".

[HiJinx]

Bump-Ping!!!
The Border List ^TM

Freepmail me if you wish to be removed from or added to this list!

[CWOJackson]

"Mexico's Fox Urges Protection for Migrants to U.S."

Migrants do have protections, illegal aliens do not.

[Michael81Dus]

How long until the office of the Mexican President and the office of the US Vice President will be connected??

[skeeter]

Officials say the victims could have been killed in a turf battle between drug cartels, but many Mexicans suspect armed vigilante groups who patrol the Arizona border to catch illegal migrants and hand them over to the government.

Slander journalism from Reuters.