Posted on 06/25/2005 8:27:29 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
Mexican official comes under
fire at binational conference
Louie Gilot
El Paso Times
Mexico's foreign minister spoke to Catholic workers and clergy Friday in El Paso about the hardships encountered by immigrants to the United States.
But his audience called him to task over the abuse by Mexican officers of South American immigrants as they cross Mexico to get to the United States.
Alejandro Siller Gonzalez, of the Mexican-American Cultural Center in the San Antonio Catholic Diocese, told the minister, Luis Derbez, that he has heard "horror stories" of rapes, robberies and beatings from Central and South American immigrants who said they were victimized by government officials in Mexico.
"What can you tell me I can tell them so we can end this impunity?" Siller asked Derbez.
Derbez said he encouraged migrants to report the abuse through government tip lines.
Siller suggested Derbez take a more proactive approach and send investigators to migrant shelters in Mexico to gather leads.
Derbez was a guest speaker on the second day of the Binational Migration Conference organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, also spoke Friday. Reyes is one of the sponsors of the immigration bill introduced last month by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. That bill proposes a temporary guest-worker program that would put undocumented immigrants on a path toward U.S. citizenship.
The unprecedented conference aims at organizing a push for immigration reform in the United States. It continues today with a presentation by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who will soon unveil a proposal for a guest-worker program.
In his speech, Derbez acknowledged that Mexico needed to do its share to keep its citizens home.
"The Mexican government has to be able to give Mexicans ... the opportunity to generate the wealth that today they produce in other places. The government of (Mexican) President Vicente Fox agrees with you fully: 'Every person has the right to find in his own country the economic, political and social opportunities that allow him to reach a full and dignified life,' " he said, quoting Fox.
Derbez also lamented the poor image of hard-working, honest immigrants, an image that is being distorted by vigilante groups such as the Minuteman Project in Arizona, he said. "The show of racism and xenophobia of certain individuals against undocumented immigrants, especially on the border with Arizona, and which threatens to expand, is unacceptable," he said.
The unprecedented conference aims at organizing a push for immigration reform in the United States.
Derbez also lamented the poor image of hard-working, honest immigrants, an image that is being distorted by vigilante groups such as the Minuteman Project in Arizona, he said."The show of racism and xenophobia of certain individuals against undocumented immigrants, especially on the border with Arizona, and which threatens to expand, is unacceptable," he said.
BS, the AMERICAN people are tired of proping up the disgustinly inhumane Government of Messico. The old racist xenophobic canard is not working anymore. That is what these pigs fear the most. We want the 8 BILLION that is drained from our economy to prop up this pig government circulating the United States economy. AND we want the taxes that should be collected but isn't staying right here.
The Leftist Council of Bishops has always been working on the side of the commie/fascist/socialist/anarchist. Nothing new about their stupid suggestions. Even the Pope had trouble with them.
Bush has some misquided thought that all of these illegals are sweet, hard working non threatening Mexicans.
My point is the Catholic Church has no business in immigration poltics. They are aiding and abetting criminals.
I agree.
Doesn't the Catholic church have enough garbage to clean up within their own ranks? They need to get that mess taken care of before they go on taking up the cause of illegals. If they really wanted to help them, they would work to make their own country a safe, prosperous place to live.
WHY does EVERYONE give Messico a pass on this issue.
But the caste system of Messico is strong. These peons are considered expendable and a useful tool to steal money from AMERICA.
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,
1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.
while he ignores the US border----being invaded by millions of 3rd world diseased, free-loader illiterates----now a thousand-lane freeway to the US Treasury.
Who's writing his material George Bush? So this is America huh? Traitors in government, traitors in the Churches, traitors ....... in other places.
What Mexico abuses illegal migrants? ....Shocked!
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