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January 04, 2005
Hayworth Condemns Mexican Government Sponsorship of Illegal Immigration
WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth's first act after being sworn in for a sixth term in Congress was to send a pointed message condemning state-sponsored illegal immigration by the government of Mexico.
In a letter to Carlos de Icaza, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., Rep. Hayworth called the Mexican government's continued encouragement of Mexican citizens to come to the U.S. in violation of our immigration laws "nothing less than an act of deliberate hostility against the United States - an attack on our sovereignty - and it must cease before it does permanent damage to our relationship."
Rep. Hayworth's action was in response to exposure of a booklet printed and distributed by the Mexican government entitled "Guide to the Mexican Immigrant." He said the booklet is only the latest flagrant example of the Mexican government's lack of respect for U.S. laws.
"The booklet is essentially a 'how to' guide for illegal entry into the U.S. that provides recommendations for illegal aliens in evading detection of federal authorities once in the U.S. Not once does the guide mention how a Mexican migrant can come the U.S. legally!" Hayworth said in the letter.
Hayworth pointed out that the U.S. welcomes over 1 million legal permanent residents each year, 20 percent of those from Mexico, an amount three times greater than any other country. He also noted that the 1986 amnesty conferred green cards on 2.8 million illegal aliens, about 2.5 million of whom were Mexican, which represents about 12 years worth of Mexico's current annual immigration quota.
"America has been a tolerant and generous good neighbor in its reception of illegal Mexicans into our midst. But enough is enough," Hayworth said.
Hayworth labeled as "disgraceful" the Mexican government's open encouragement of its citizens to head north. That, he said, not only breaks our immigration laws, but also "tramples the spirit of citizenship and assimilation those laws were meant to foster. Illegal immigration weakens our welfare, judicial, and educational systems, and costs Americans jobs. And it endangers our national security."
Hayworth warned Ambassador de Icaza that the Mexican government's expressed support for an accountable guest-worker program is jeopardized by that nation's support of illegal immigration.
"Such a program is simply not possible as long as the illegal invasion of America's borders continues with the active encouragement of the Mexican government. If the Mexican government wants to work constructively for immigration reform in general and a guest-worker system in particular, it needs to start becoming a partner in securing our border instead of an accomplice in overrunning it. Ending the distribution of the guide would be a good place to start," Hayworth's letter concluded.