Give border parity to Mexican citizens

San Antonio-Express-News ^ | 12/03/03 | Editorial

[Holly_P]

Thousands of times a day, Mexicans who legally cross the border into the United States face greater restrictions than Canadians who cross the northern U.S. border. It makes no sense that Canadians can enter the United States, go anywhere they choose and stay six months, while Mexican nationals, even those who own property in the United States, can only stay 72 hours and cannot travel farther than 25 miles from the border.

This disparity breeds anger and suspicion and must be eliminated.

Toward that end, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Reps. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, and Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, have filed legislation that would change the immigration agreement with Mexico to give Mexicans parity with Canadians.

In the interest of economic and social fairness, this newspaper supports the passage of such legislation.

The goal of the North American Free Trade Agreement was to set up a three-way partnership among Canada, the United States and Mexico in order to strengthen trade among the neighbors. There is no way to fulfill this goal if Mexican nationals are not free to travel among the three countries on legitimate business.

Canada and Mexico immigrants are treated differently because, since the bracero program ended in the late 1960s, an unstoppable stream of Mexicans has entered the United States illegally to find jobs.

The situation on the Canadian border is not comparable.

However, the solution to the problem of illegal immigration is not to limit access for Mexican nationals with legitimate reasons to come to the United States.

The solution is for Congress to pass a new guest worker program that recognizes reality — that the United States depends on Mexican workers every bit as much as Mexican workers depend on U.S. wages.

In the meantime, the inherent unfairness of the way Mexicans are treated along the border must end.

[gubamyster]

ping

[Nat Turner]

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW A GANG OF ARMED CANADIANS ROBBING AMERICANS?

[Bikers4Bush]

Mexicans have not earned the right to have parity with the Canadians.

You can bet that Bush will sign this nightmare anyway though.

[Dan Evans]

I think we slap an electronic ankle bracelet on everyone who crosses our border.

[secret garden]

The Mexican nationals with legitimate reasons to cross the border are few and far between.

[Mr. Jeeves]

When Mexico treats American visitors as well as Canada does, we'll think about it.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

There are logical reasons why we allow Canadians enter the United States and pretty much go anywhere and stay for up to six months but do not allow Mexicans to do the same.

The first reason deals with reciprocity. The Canadians allow Americans to cross their border, pretty much go anywhere, and stay for up to six months. The Mexican government restricts the movements of Americans in Mexico.

The second reason is economic. Canadians welcome Americans and vice versa. American who tend to visit Canada to shop and go sightseeing. That is, Americans bring money to Canada and Canadians bring money to America. Mexicans on the other hand do not come here on vacation or to see the sights.

The third reason is cultural. The United States and Canada share common cultural roots and ideals. We both trace our cultural and political roots to the Magna Carta. Both countries believe in the rule of law. Mexico does not trace its roots similarly. Mexico does not believe in the rule of law which we take for granted. Anyone who has been to Mexico soon realizes there is little difference between a Mexican police officer and a member of the Mexican mafia other than the uniform.

The fourth reason is historical. In the not too recent past, the government of Mexico flirted with communism. Many of the people in Mexico ARE communists, for all intents and purposes.

The fifth reason is also historical. Mexico has fought two wars (The Texas War of Independence and the Mexican American War) with the United States. There have been numerous armed incursions into the United States by the Mexican military and Mexican bandits and Mexican citizens over the past 150 years. Also, since the Mexican American War, the United States Congress pretty much wanted to keep Mexican citizens out of the United States because many Mexicans believe the American Southwest should be taken back by Mexico. This view is pretty much the view of many Mexican politicians. It makes no sense to allow such people to come to the United States for ANY reason.

[Pontiac]

When Mexico treats American visitors as well as Canada does, we'll think about it.

Good point. How many times have you heard of some small time Canadian cop arresting an American on trumped up charges in order to extort money.

[Sabertooth]

Toward that end, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Reps. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, and Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, have filed legislation that would change the immigration agreement with Mexico to give Mexicans parity with Canadians.

Senator Cornyn, a protege of President Bush, is at it again...

The Illegal Alien Amnesty of Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) - S.1387 - full text
			Posted by Sabertooth On 10/12/2003 5:18 PM PDT with 38 comments October 12th, 2003 | Sabertooth In July of this year, Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced his Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2003 (full text below), for the purpose of establishing new regulations on foreign-born "guest workers" in the Untied States. Several sections of Cornyn's legislation warrant a bit of scrutiny... SEC. 218A. GUEST WORKER PROGRAMS. (i) ABSOLUTION FOR PAST ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR- An alien who participates in a guest worker program shall be absolved of all liability for illegal behavior, as such behavior pertains to the immigration status of the alien, that occurred before the alien's participation in the guest worker program. SEC. 218B....
Cornyn proposes plan for immigrant 'guest workers' (Amnesty)
			Posted by Sabertooth On 07/11/2003 8:38 AM PDT with 14 comments Dallas Ft. Worth Star-Telegram ^ | July 11th, 2003 | Dave Montgomery Cornyn proposes plan for immigrant 'guest workers' By Dave Montgomery Star-Telegram Washington Bureau John Cornyn WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn launched his first major legislative initiative Thursday, calling for a guest worker program that would enable millions of undocumented immigrants to legally live and work in the United States for up to three years.The bill puts the first-term Texas Republican in the center of politically volatile efforts to overhaul the nation's immigration laws. The issue has strained relations between the Bush administration and Mexican President Vicente Fox, who is pressing the U.S. government to grant legal status to the...

We need to defeat this chump, Cornyn, for at least another four years.

Why isn't he pushing policies to give Americans parity with Mexicans in Mexico?

If Mexicans can own property here, why can't we own it there?

[HiJinx]

every bit as much as Mexican workers depend on U.S. wages.

At the rate of US$12 Billion per year, Mexico depends on U.S. wages...that's how much was sent home by her emigres in 2002.

[janetgreen]

George Bush will sign anything that encourages more illegal immigration invasion into America. Any immigrant who enters this country should have to prove that he (or she) can support himself and his family without being dependent on American taxpayers. We shouldn't have to pay for their medical care or anything else. We're already paying half of our yearly wages in taxes and supporting many third world countries, what's next? We need a real conservative in the White House instead of the flaming liberal who resides there now.

[texastoo]

Canada also pays their citizens health care cost in the U.S. It is odd that hospitals bill Canada but not Mexico.

[RS]

"...while Mexican nationals, even those who own property in the United States, can only stay 72 hours and cannot travel farther than 25 miles from the border."

Where did this come from ? I can't find any type of restrictions of this sort on Mexicans who hold valid entry visas.

[RS]

"...while Mexican nationals, even those who own property in the United States, can only stay 72 hours and cannot travel farther than 25 miles from the border."

Where did this come from ? I can't find any type of restrictions of this sort on Mexicans who hold valid entry visas.

[MissAmericanPie]

I hope all of you will heed this. Last night at our conservative action committee we had a lady who is close friends with one of Kay Baily Hutchinson's secretaries. She answers the phone alot.

She told this lady that phone calls have an impact, yet there are so few calls made by citizens regarding any issue that these politicians will do the most popular thing that their counter parts want pushed through in D.C.

The things that are popular in D.C. are not popular with the American public. She advised that people call in with their concerns and call in often. She said it does make an impact. Emails are not often read, because of the threat of Antrax, snail mail is not delivered to their offices. The only sure way to reach them is via phone calls.

Surely we can afford the cost of one long distance phone call when so much is at stake. I burn up the phone wires on issues. Many times in calling D.C. I get a recording that says all circuits are busy. You just have to keep trying until you get through. Surely with so much at stake, we can find it in us to invest the time an effort it takes to get through to a Senator or Congressman's office.

If we don't we will just be preaching to the choir while Rome burns.

[FITZ]

Yeah right --- then we're also obligated to treat Haitians the same, Brazilians the same, everyone from Africa, India, and every where else the exact same way. WRONG. When those countries --- including Mexico start acting like Canada then we should treat them like Canadians. Their choice.

[FITZ]

Plus Canadians aren't flying big planeloads of cocaine in from Colombia and bringing it over the border to the USA ---- and Canada isn't ruled by the violent murderous drug cartels. Totally different cultures and societies we're dealing with here.

[PRND21]

George Bush will sign anything that encourages more illegal immigration invasion into America.

Ridiculous as usual, Tancredobot.

[Defiant]

More to the point, it is a policy that simply makes sense. Canadians come from a similar economic and social structure, and if they are entering the US, are far less likely to be entering for purposes of staying illegally. It makes no sense to spend the money to impose tight border controls on a border that is not being used for massive illegal immigration. Historically, therefore, we have put the resources into the border where we are getting infiltration from immigrants who seek to come here illegally.

We now have a need to control the Canadian border more than we did before. But the need arises from terrorism, not from a problem with Jean Miloux from Montreal coming in and taking all the fast food jobs.