You are correct. Further, I am beginning to think that allowing illegal immigration unabated is due to some kind of deal between our govt. and the Mex. govt. that involves any or all of the following: (these are my hypotheses, not my justifications--I'm all for stemming the tide of illegals and deporting all illegals immediately, but I'm trying to get inside the heads of the politicians).
1. allowing Vicente Fox and the Mexican "ruling class" to do some kind of ethnic cleansing there (our ambassador to Mexico and friend of Bush Tony Garza just married the heiress to the Modelo Negra beer fortune, btw)
2. providing a subsidy (in the form of cheap labor) to farmers in the U.S. with a wink and a nod since the world trade organization is pressing the U.S. to do away with subsidies; the subsidies are not just to keep the farmers happy but to keep food prices low (don't want another French revolution).
3. preventing a revolution in Mexico similar to what happened in Cuba. Che Guevera is a folk hero in the Mexican slums, and Americans don't want having communism right next door
4. misguided, misdirected pandering to Hispanic voters who they think are voting based on this issue (they're actually pandering to a vocal minority vis-a-vis "La Raza" and LULAC, and not "mainstream" Hispanic voters).
I think your comments are right on.
'Americans don't want having communism right next door"
They have had it for years but don't know it.
The PRI is basicly communist without attaching the name.
I was in La Paz in the 70s and couldn't get a flight home because all reservations had been canceled to accomadate the PRI convention reps. It was really pretty scarry with the PRI reps running around town waving MAO's little red book.
The government runs like communism where 51% or more of all basic industries are owned by the government and production and commerce is controled by supply and/or restrictions. All basic imports are controled as to what and who can import and nothing, including people, move in Mexico without Mexico City knowing about it.