Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mexico's Fox Urges Protection for Migrants to U.S.
Reuters ^ | November 4, 2003

Posted on 11/04/2003 8:02:04 PM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Mexico; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: immigrantlist; immigration
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-34 next last

1 posted on 11/04/2003 8:02:05 PM PST by sarcasm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
Now why would this greasy senor Vicente even be allowed in the US? Shouldn't we deport him back to Chihuahua or Chalupa?
2 posted on 11/04/2003 8:04:21 PM PST by nwrep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
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.
3 posted on 11/04/2003 8:09:24 PM PST by DLfromthedesert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
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.
4 posted on 11/04/2003 8:09:45 PM PST by Inyo-Mono
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
This is a joke,right?
5 posted on 11/04/2003 8:11:15 PM PST by Mears
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

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

I'm starting to agree with O'Reilly: TROOPS ON THE BORDER!
6 posted on 11/04/2003 8:20:34 PM PST by jmstein7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mears
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.
7 posted on 11/04/2003 8:20:38 PM PST by vikingcelt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: vikingcelt
The scum are the Mexican elites like Fox, NOT the desperate people that are crossing.
8 posted on 11/04/2003 8:24:36 PM PST by DLfromthedesert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
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!
9 posted on 11/04/2003 8:25:13 PM PST by F.J. Mitchell (If you seen yourself as other people do, you'd laugh too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Inyo-Mono
Maybe we should offer California back to Russia. then.... when Mexico objects, we don't have a dog in the fight. =)
10 posted on 11/04/2003 8:26:42 PM PST by PokeyJoe (The Holy Koran teaches us how to properly BBQ pork spare ribs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: DLfromthedesert
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.
11 posted on 11/04/2003 8:48:42 PM PST by Adrastus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: HiJinx
ping
12 posted on 11/04/2003 8:58:27 PM PST by Libertarianize the GOP (Ideas have consequences)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
Fox, keep the f***ers home (in Mexico), then no problemo.
13 posted on 11/04/2003 9:27:06 PM PST by sd-joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
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.
14 posted on 11/04/2003 9:27:31 PM PST by texastoo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

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

Here's one: KEEP 'EM AT HOME!
15 posted on 11/04/2003 9:44:21 PM PST by kenth (Terri is human. Her life is no less valuable than yours or mine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm

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

16 posted on 11/04/2003 9:56:18 PM PST by Wiggins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 4.1O dana super trac pak; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; A CA Guy; ...
Bump-Ping!!!
The Border List TM

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

17 posted on 11/05/2003 10:09:05 AM PST by HiJinx (Go with Courage, go with Honor, go in God's good Grace. Come home when you're done. We'll be here.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

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

Migrants do have protections, illegal aliens do not.

18 posted on 11/05/2003 10:10:05 AM PST by CWOJackson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
How long until the office of the Mexican President and the office of the US Vice President will be connected??
19 posted on 11/05/2003 10:12:54 AM PST by Michael81Dus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sarcasm
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.

20 posted on 11/05/2003 10:14:26 AM PST by skeeter (Fac ut vivas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-34 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson