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.
"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.
..."and we will continue to provide fake passports, visas and identifications for any who remember, "the price is right..." I wish the media would report the truth and the danger, regardless of Fox's whinning and fear of being assasinated... that is what his complacency is all about anyway.
"And they smear Tancredo more than Democrats do."
Hell, look at the idiots here who continually show up to tancredo threads just to smear him.....
"What hasn't changed: Nationwide, the number of illegal crossers has not declined, some experts say."
That's the point. It isn't as easy to get into California now that we have the fence and the cameras and more border patrol agents, so the pressure has shifted to Arizona and New Mexico.
Yeah, I noticed that, too. Richardson tangented over into saying something, to the effect, he'd never done this before, he "(didn't) know how the emergency system/process worked...(wanted to wait and see how it did)".
I thought it was a particularly STUPID and probably moreso DECEPTIVE thing to say, particularly from someone (Richardson) who'd been head of the Energy Dept., not to mention a Governor of a State. Not like he was recently employed packing bottles at Woolworth's, but there he was, Governor, didn't have a clue how this emergency thing works!
Not me, I like Toms tough talk.
Rush said today that Napolitano's state (Arizona?) closed 11 hospital emergency rooms because illegals were using them and not paying.
It's not just happening there, my FRiend. This year was the first time that Mexican "transient labourers" were "officially" hired to pick daffodils here on my CANADIAN Pacific island.
Meanwhile, many "Rage Against The Machine" and other 'alternative bands' fans sit idle at the "mission" allegedly trying to help them, less than 15 miles away from the daffodil fields, protesting their lot in life.
The troubles are only beginning I say, with much trepidation.
It is pretty bad for the taxpayers in their states. However, they have figured out this is going to be a hot-button with voters and are playing it for all it is worth.
It IS just a Dem election ploy and they aren't serious. However, the GOP and Bush have left themselves so vulnerable because of their obvious avoidance of the entire issue, that it will work. Even an empty promise will swing a crucial percentage of voters and the GOP will pay in 2006 IMHO.
My sentiments exactly. I get jazzed when the GOP does something good on the 2A, but without a border, we have no country. The border and the Judges are the only two issues these people need to work on besides the war.
Vicente is a strange kind of Fox. Most foxes when put in charge of the chicken house, does everything he can to keep the chickens penned in.Vicente Fox on the other hand is pissed off when we try to herd his chickens back into his coop.
"And the problem is????"
- The problem seems to be that Fox is under the impression that Mexican citizens are covered under the Free Trade Agreement.
I like the way you think!
Wonder if Fox will allow the US to open up our prisons and ship the inmates to Mexico - shades of Cuba in his future.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1464757/posts
Hard for me to believe. Here is her contact info:
http://www.carolestrayhorn.com/contact.php
One word from President Bush concerning this is all I want to hear. Just one word.
sw
"I'll know its just political posturing to woo conservative illegal haters"
so your an illegal lover?? wake up. Americans of all parties have been shocked the last few years with the illegals flooding our states from a problem in border states the tide of illegals has washed far north.
IT is a fight for the very country we live in..and GWBUSH wants to do NOTHING..WHY he takes no action -None of us can understand.
Teen In Coma After Accident With Drunken Driver - drunken driver BTB an illegal immigrant.
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