EL PASO, TEXAS - SEAN & MMP
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.
Well, now we know. Richardson only declared a 90 day state of emergency. So what good will 90 days do? I'll tell you. It gives the desert time to cool off so that it won't be so dangerous on the illegals. I knew it was too good to be true. It went against everything Richardson has been saying about welcoming illegals. He's a snake, and can't be trusted.
It is a very long story. Bottom line, we as a nation have been lulled to sleep with grandiose societal promises that all be be alright in the end. It is all about big corporations that are refusing to invest in America, specifically the American worker. I live in Silicon Valley and see the amount of work that is doled out to people with H-1B visas. It is just sickening.
No no no ...
PAGING GOV RICK PERRY,
PAGING GOV RICK PERRY,
"Calling Richardson a hero is like putting Superman in the same category as Mr. Magoo."
Leave it up to Dane.....
" I live in Silicon Valley and see the amount of work that is doled out to people with H-1B visas. "
===================================
#183.
For that you can give at least some of the thanks to one of the richest men in the history of the world - Bill Gates, Chairman of Micro$oft.
See what I mean?
Hey wait up for me!!!!
That worthless lout will not even go near the white courtesy phone. Too busy selling out on education!
Excellent point. I DID wonder as to a certain remark Richardson made on O'Reilly the other day...
Richardson was going on and on, voice raising, obvious emotions entering into his voice and face and story, saying that "Mexico is unhappy with me, but..."
And O'Reilly interrupted him and reminded him that his job was not to be concerned with what Mexico thought of him, but what the people of his state thought of him.
And Richardson seemed like a balloon pulled back down after beginning to float off into the air with that comment, riveted back to attention.
You could tell that Richardson was actually preoccupied with Mexico "being upset" with him and I wondered if that was Richardson's main focus, give how Richardson seemed to be most emotionally disturbed/concerned himself with that aspect of this border decision.
This just doesn't happen in the private sector, it happens in the large DoD plants as well.
Lets call it the "Friendship Wall."
:)
Red6
Yes it is a ploy. But I think the republican governors of California and Texas need to do the same. Arnold can go tomorrow and Perry can go the next day. The democrats have just made it easier for them. They should seize the opportunity.
Don't forget the old adage...follow the money! Who stands to gain from open borders (aside from the terrorists trying to enter the country). All of the burgeoning business south of the border requires financing. The largest industry in Mexico that the US cares about is the Oil industry.
The corporations, even from my town, are sending groups to Mexico to tour brand new and completely empty manufacturing facilities. Why? It is because they are all going for the cheap labor and so that they do not need to follow the labor rules, the health and safety rules, the environmental rules, the list goes on and on.
We just approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement a few weeks ago. Now this border issue heats up. I don't believe in coincidences. I think there is a plan to make the continent one big "Greater North American Co-prosperity Sphere"
There is no constituancy in government that is willing to address this problem, and there is not likely to be one in the foreseeable future, either.
One man's cynicism is another man's realism.
You are correct. But will Perry and Arnold go against the administration?
When Bill asked him about placing the Guard on the border Richardson tipped his hand. He stumbled around a bit saying he was getting a big reaction and wanted to see what happened. Can't find his exact words, I'm paraphrasing here.
I thought that he said he had 67 guardsman on the border, and then I thought he was hedging about what exactly they were doing. He wanted the new workers on the border to be full time trained professionals. Since the State does not hire border gards, I think he was looking to subsidize his state funding for law enforcement at the federal government's expense.
#122 - a keeper - get it while it's hot.
I think Mexico City may be nuked before Mecca.
and joke him if he can't take a...
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