Bush Backs off Fingerprinting Plan for Mexican Visitors

AP News ^ | 03/06/2004 | Scott Lindlaw

[scarletletter]

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush on Saturday backed off a plan to require frequent Mexico-U.S. travelers to be fingerprinted and photographed before crossing the border, a reversal welcomed by Mexican President Vicente Fox. "We welcome the news that was confirmed today with regard to visitors to the U.S. from Mexico," Fox said at a news conference with Bush at the American president's ranch. "They will not have to be photographed or fingerprinted."

Fox alluded to another agreement to speed migration - a deal to issue special visas through the North American Free Trade Agreement to allow professionals to move across the border "to come and work in either country and contribute to both."

[cynicom]

Maybe Bush gave them the ranch at Crawford?????

[ambrose]

well, isn't that special?

[TomGuy]

Question is, who will sell us out quicker to illegal immigration, Bush or Kerry. Neither seem overly concerned that we are being invaded.

[CWOJackson]

"They will not have to be photographed or fingerprinted."

Actually, that would only be for those people who have the new visa and have already been photographed and fingerprinted. Simply common sense and practicality...but of course leaving out and/or ignoring that minor little detail just makes the Bush-bashing not seem so contrived.

[cynicom]

Bush believes in fair trade. We give Mexico good jobs, and they give us their unwanted worthless humans. Sounds like a good deal to me.

[BikePacker]

Question is, who will sell us out quicker to illegal immigration, Bush or Kerry. Neither seem overly concerned that we are being invaded.

Ya know, it occurs to me that the party that realizes that unregulated immigration hurts the poorest in society the most could have a quite a lever.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Bush is with his Beloved today. Do I have to spell it out? F-O-X.

[scarletletter]

I agree. I fail to understand why Bush keeps pushing this issue. He is losing a lot of his conservative base, and this is one of the prime reasons.

[RussianConservative]

But yet, do not all Europeans now require finger printing....oh but European is criminal, Mexican is new american "special" person saint.

[RussianConservative]

By the way...is Bush US president or Mexican?

[CWOJackson]

Some minor information in the original AP story that somehow didn't get posted here:

"Under the new US-VISIT program, already in use at many airports and seaports, visitors from certain countries must be fingerprinted and photographed before entering the United States. The security system is to be expanded this year to the busiest land entry points as well, and that would have affected the many Mexicans who regularly travel back and forth with border-crossing cards...The documents already require background checks, fingerprinting and photographs."

[goodnesswins]

"They will not have to be photographed or fingerprinted."

THAT is NOT what Reuters is saying.....Reuters is saying "they will not have to be photographed or fingerprinted each time."

[Ken522]

So the AP article is intended to obfuscate the issue to the point where it can appear President Bush is giving in to Fox's demands, when nothing of the sort is actually happening. You really have to dig to get to the truth.

[Ken522]

So the AP article is intended to obfuscate the issue to the point where it can appear President Bush is giving in to Fox's demands, when nothing of the sort is actually happening. You really have to dig to get to the truth.

[CWOJackson]

Yes, it's been pointed out to them on the dozens of similar posts.

They don't let it get in the way of their agenda. It's going to be a tight election, and the dems aren't beyond much at making sure their boy wins.

[Ken522]

So the AP article is intended to obfuscate the issue to the point where it can appear President Bush is giving in to Fox's demands, when nothing of the sort is actually happening. You really have to dig to get to the truth.

[CWOJackson]

And of course it's willing picked up by the usuals around here and used for the weekly "Jorge" Bush whining.

[yonif]

When the next terrorist comes in from Mexico, they will learn that borders are to be taken seriously.

[Dane]

This is an excerpted article(which scarlet did not point out). The first two paragraphs are meant to inflame. Scarletletter is probably a mobyite troll, IMO.

Under the new US-VISIT program, already in use at many airports and seaports, visitors from certain countries must be fingerprinted and photographed before entering the United States. The security system is to be expanded this year to the busiest land entry points as well, and that would have affected the many Mexicans who regularly travel back and forth with border-crossing cards.

Friday, White House spokesman Scott McClellan had said the administration was strongly considering a proposal under which the multi-use visas that those frequent Mexican travelers have could be used in place of the US-VISIT border checks. The documents already require background checks, fingerprinting and photographs.