Posted on 08/16/2005 6:53:53 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
Mexico's Fox protests as second US state closes border
Arizona ignored pleas for greater cooperation from Mexican President Vicente Fox to become the second US state to declare a state of emergency on its border due to rising illegal immigration, violence and smuggling.
Four days after New Mexico declared a 90 day state of emergency for border areas, Arizona did the same for its four counties on the Mexican frontier, citing uncontrolled illegal immigration.
"The federal government has to secure our border, and the health and safety of all Arizonans is threatened daily by violent gangs, coyotes (human traffickers) and other dangerous criminals," said Arizona governor Janet Napolitano in a statement.
"I intend to take every action feasible to stem the tide of criminal behavior on the Arizona side of the border," she said.
Napolitano explained her decision based on statistics showing that illegal crossings on US borders are as high as three million every year, and that as many as 700,000 new unauthorized immigrants entered the country last year, many through Arizona.
On Friday, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson issued the state of emergency along his state's border with Mexico, citing "recent developments ... including violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants."
The moves followed the week-long closure at the beginning of August of the US consulate in Nuevo Laredo, on the border with Texas, following a rise in lethal gang violence in that Mexican city.
The state of emergency declarations for the two states' border areas opened the way for the two governors to tap into emergency funds to expand border control operations.
Napolitano said Arizona would be earmarking 1.5 million dollars in emergency funds "to combat the growing devastation caused by the crimes associated with illegal immigration."
Mexican President Fox responded Tuesday to the moves by the two US governors with calls for greater cooperation over border problems.
He exhorted the United States to coordinate with Mexico to resolve border problems.
"Instead of pointing fingers, let's have proposals; instead of each side working by itself, let's work together; only like this will we be able to win," Fox said.
"There are criminal organizations on both that side (of the border) and this side; there are drug users on that side and this side," he said.
Sean McCormack, spokesman for the US State Department, said Tuesday that the US government is working alongside the Mexican government to protect the border.
McCormack said in regard to Richardson's decision that, as the governor of New Mexico, he has the responsibility to protect his state citizens in the manner he sees apprpriate.
Mexican agencies continued to stress the need to cooperate on border problems. On Monday, Jose Reyes Baena, the governor of the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, met with Texas authorities to discuss border security, especially the problem of drug trafficking, which has resulted in some 550 deaths along the border so far this year.
The Mexican foreign and interior ministries also said Tuesday in a joint statement that they were contacting Napolitano to discuss the new measures.
"We will watch to see that any action by police organizations remains respectful of the rights of our compatriots and respect domestic and international laws," the statement said.
Since the illegal immigrant issue is spread throughout so many states it would not be difficult to get the Dems to close ranks on this issue and win in 08.
And Communist China is laughing all the way to the bank.
Arizona to Fox...PISS OFF!
We're doomed. Now no one will fill the jobs Americans refuse to do.
Perhaps now some folks will understand why Texas Minutemen (http://www.txminutemen.com/) does not affiliate themselves with the Simcox organization Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
I don't know which is more bizarre. Having Richardson and Napolitano taken seriously, or why Bush and the GOP continue to not properly address the issue of illegal immigration.
If the governor of Arizona and the people of Arizona are so far apart on this important issue, how did she EVER get elected?
I thank God that the Military Joint Chiefs of Staff advise Mr. Bush and he apparently takes their advice. If he handled our war situation the way he handles the invasion on our Southern border we would be in very very deep caca.
Dear Vincente ... tough
"That should tell you something"
That Simcox has common sense?
"Israel's new security barrier"
But dontcha know, according to the Open Borders Loons here on FR, that is not possible. And never mind that big thingy in China that you can see from space.
"Move along, nothing to see here"
Yeah, and that probably explains those who are denouncing Tancredo, unfortunately.
Instead of counting on repatriated funds from millions of illlegals here, Vincente, instead of counting on taking over part of our country with your La Raza racist fascism, why don't you straighten out your own failed state? Maybe if such a tiny percent of the population didn't control all of the wealth with so little opportunity for people to better themselves economically, all your people wouldn't have to flee north. We know that NAFTA did a lot of damage to your entrepreneurs but you do need to get over it and enable a rising middle class and individual up from poverty success stories.
Go ahead and add my screenname to the ping list, but please don't add my state to the topics list unless there's a direct connection (perpetrator from there, etc)
You know what a fan I am of that. :)
Dane, if you told me my name was Adam, I'd check my drivers license to be sure.
I want to see the QUOTES IN FULL CONTEXT, I wouldn't even trust your characterization of the weather.
It can't be. Howling Dean was on TV saying that Republicans would be the ones using immigration as a wedge issue....
Thanks for the ping!
ach, so cynical....hopefully, too cynical.........
I can't believe the admin would paint themselves into a corner like this........
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