Posted on 08/26/2005 5:19:59 AM PDT by calcowgirl
MEXICO CITY – Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez launched a goodwill mission here yesterday, but his first order of business was to explain to President Vicente Fox and the Mexican media why he had sought a state-of-emergency declaration for the border area.
By the end of the day, the Los Angeles Democrat said he had made progress in improving relations between California and Mexico, which have become strained under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But the border-emergency controversy dominated the beginning of Núñez's three-day visit.
After the Democratic governors of Arizona and New Mexico declared border emergencies because of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, Núñez urged Schwarzenegger to follow suit in an effort to bring more federal money to California.
But government officials in Mexico have criticized the emergency declarations, contending – among other things – that similar emergencies have not been declared in violent U.S. cities.
Núñez said he clarified that the declarations are a move to pressure the federal government for increased funding for border concerns and not simply to place blame on Mexico.
The issue also flared anew in Sacramento yesterday, where four San Diego-area Republicans introduced legislation that would allow Schwarzenegger to declare a border emergency.
But Núñez tried to stay focused on what he said was his "diplomatic mission." As part of that effort, the speaker said he would try to get Schwarzenegger to meet with Baja California Gov. Eugenio Elorduy in Mexicali this fall.
"I am not here to bash Governor Schwarzenegger. I am here to improve relations between California and Mexico," Núñez said.
He also invited Fox to address the California Assembly in Sacramento.
The Mexican undersecretary for North American affairs, Gerónimo Gutiérrez, said it's possible that a Sacramento stop may be considered, if Fox decides to make a trip to the United States this year.
Fox canceled a meeting with Schwarzenegger in California last fall amid criticism of the governor by Latino leaders for repealing a law that would have allowed illegal immigrants to receive California driver licenses, and then failing to negotiate an alternative.
Schwarzenegger drew additional criticism from Latinos for expressing approval of a group of volunteer border watchers, known as the "Minutemen," and urging that the border be "closed," a remark he later said was a mistaken attempt to say the border should be "secure."
Gutiérrez said Fox's cancellation of the meeting with Schwarzenegger last year had nothing to do with the driver license issue. He said both men have busy schedules.
"To be quite honest, the context has been quite complicated for both," said Gutiérrez, "and we have not been able to find the optimum moment."
Núñez said that Fox suggested to him that he try to improve relations between Schwarzenegger and the Baja governor. The speaker said upcoming talks between state and Mexican officials regarding a dispute over the All-American Canal might help lay the groundwork for a meeting between Schwarzenegger and Elorduy.
Margita Thompson, Schwarzenegger's press secretary, said in a telephone interview from Sacramento that the governor already has a "wonderful relationship" with Elorduy, who has visited the governor in Sacramento. She said another meeting between the two in Baja has been under discussion for some time, but perhaps not in Mexicali.
Thompson said that the governor's office has good relations with the Mexican Consulate in Sacramento and that the governor has met with a number of Mexican officials since taking office.
"As I have said before, California and Mexico are bound by culture, commerce and family," Thompson said. "When you are tied as closely as we are, you don't necessarily need to cross the border to have fruitful discussions."
In meeting with Fox, Núñez said he tried to counter some misperceptions some Mexicans have about their neighbors to the north.
"It seems as though there is a sense that people want to close the border," Núñez said Fox told him. "I assured him that that wasn't the case, and I think he accepted my response to that."
As Núñez spoke later to the Mexican and international press at a news conference – attended by more than a dozen reporters and five television cameramen – he defended the declarations of border emergencies and his own request for one.
"Many of these Democratic leaders traditionally are aligned with the Mexican people and have been very supportive of the contributions of undocumented immigrants in particular," he said.
With his request for a border emergency declaration, Núñez said he was seeking a platform to urge the federal government to provide more funding for the incarceration of illegal immigrants who have committed crimes. He also said he was underscoring the need for a well-trained Border Patrol and federal immigration reforms that would include legal status for more than 2 million hard-working undocumented immigrants in California.
But as Núñez declared his mission accomplished and said he was backing off his call for a border emergency declaration, California Republican lawmakers were pushing the issue.
"Illegal immigration continues to be a problem in California," said state Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-La Mesa. "It taxes the state's vital resources, including public safety, health care and education."
The bill was also backed by Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside; Assemblyman Mark Wyland, R-Del Mar; and Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Temecula.
Last week, the governor said the conditions along California's border were relatively calm and did not warrant an emergency declaration.
But in a letter to Núñez Wednesday, Schwarzenegger said he lacked the legal authority to declare an emergency at the border.
"The Emergency Services Act is designed to allow for extraordinary redirection of resources through mutual aid and the suspension of certain state laws so that government may address catastrophic conditions caused by war, natural disasters or epidemics," the governor wrote.
Thompson, the governor's press secretary, said the governor is likely to support legislation giving him the authority to declare a border emergency. But, she said, that does not change his view that current border conditions do not warrant such a declaration.
As Núñez experienced red-carpet treatment at Los Pinos, the Mexican equivalent of the White House, he downplayed the political significance of his trip.
He scoffed at speculation that he is somehow vying with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa – calling him one of best friends, someone he talks to virtually every day, and wishing him continued success.
"The new Latino superstar in the country is Antonio Villaraigosa," said Núñez, who was born in San Diego and lived in Tijuana as a child. "He is up there. There is a big gap between him and everybody else."
Núñez also rejected the view that his trip increases his standing, particularly among Latino voters, and will make him a more effective opponent of the governor's initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot by upstaging Schwarzenegger.
"I always thought that the biggest criticism I would get is 'Here is this Mexican-American leader of California going to Mexico. Where's his allegiance – to Mexico or the U.S.?' " Núñez said.
"I think I have succeeded," he said. "The fact that that criticism hasn't been made shows that we have made a lot of progress."
An unintentional, but highly accurate, summary description of the man. ;)
Why is it US interests always have to placate the other side?
How do ya know it was unintentional? ;-)
We all need to give him a call.
No kidding? I'm shocked!
a follow-up question would have been nice here to nail this vermin down on his position - this is not even subject to debate given Nunez's record.
Nipez Phone numbers?
no, the criticism hasn't been made because everyone assumes he's a pro-Mexico shill. Why belabor the point?
My plan to combat illegal immigration:
1. Build a wall similar to this one already in place near San Diego:
http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=113823
Our southern border with Mexico is 1945 miles long. It cost $ 1.7 million dollars per mile to build the very impressive, wall currently standing south of San Diego. That means that, for $ 3.3 billion dollars, we could build a similar wall along the entire southern border with Mexico. This is a fraction of what we spend on the Iraq operation each year. I actually think building this wall would be politically much more doable than people tend to think. Even Hispanics already in the US would likely approve because it means less competition for themselves for jobs.
2. Start employer enforcement in a steady but persistent manner that targets the worst offenders first. Start first with those who hire day laborers off the books so as not to pay taxes. Have ICE place signs on all day laborer congregation points announcing that raids will be conducted in the near future to check the citizenship status of the workers there. Bingo- no more day laborer congregation site with at more expense than posting a sign. When the day laborer business goes underground, have investigators follow them there and prosecute and deport accordingly.
3. Go after the big employers of illegal aliens (factories, meat processors, etc) to the extent that they can not prove that there truly are no Americans in their community who want the jobs taken by Mexicans. Have ICE meet with known large employers of illegal aliens and find out just how many willing American workers there are in the employer's community. Tell the employer you want to see him start hiring a lot more Americans and fewer Mexicans. If the employer refuses, have ICE post a notice on the workplace saying that ICE will come in a couple of weeks to check the immigration status of the workers. The illegals will move on to other jobs. That’s the dirty little secret of immigration enforcement- you can destroy a business’s market for illegal aliens by simply posting a sign on their premises. No chance for bed-wetting liberals to whine about deporting children like they did in Arkansas.
To the extent that Mexicans truly are needed to fill the jobs in question (e.g. migrant fruit pickers) then those should be placed at the very bottom of the enforcement list- they do help our economy to the extent they are actually needed and we should seek to minimize any economic harm.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a46/mainpage.htm
Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0046
(916) 319-2046
District Office
320 West 4th Street Room 1050
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 620-4646
E-Mail the Speaker:
Assemblymember.Nunez@assembly.ca.gov
WTF, is Núñez now proposing that Fox become part of the California Assembly's deliberation process? Isn't it bad enough that illegals are getting involved in our internal affairs without an open invitation for a head of state to do the same?
...By the end of the day, the Los Angeles Democrat said he had made progress in improving relations between California and Mexico, which have become strained...
Stained?
We are at war, a war which we are losing, due to treason and incompetence at the highest levels.
give a rat a rope and eventually he'll figure a way to hang himself with it.
ping
As a McClintock supporter, I think the Guv deserves credit for resisting, however discretely, the business/racialist cabal on the subject of illegals and needs our support.
Their now seems to be a war brewing between the mexican politicians who pander to the legals and illegals, and republicans.
The mexican politicians are pandering to mexico and all the legal and illegals residing in California and doing everything possible to obstruct Schwartzenegger's agenda.
Given the amount of mexicans now living in California, you knew it was coming.
Guess they are missing the days of Davis who would do whatever they wanted.
Man, does California politics suckass.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Support our Minutemen Patriots!
Be Ever Vigilant ~ Bump!
But Núñez tried to stay focused on what he said was his "diplomatic mission."
He also invited Fox to address the California Assembly in Sacramento.
How long has Núñez been working for the State Dept.?
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