Posted on 09/06/2001 12:40:40 PM PDT by madrussian
By RON FOURNIER, AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) - Mexican President Vicente Fox (news - web sites), the first state visitor of the Bush presidency, challenged the United States on Wednesday to strike an agreement on immigration by year's end. President Bush (news - web sites) said ``there is no more important relationship'' than with Mexico but did not embrace Fox's ambitious deadline.
The public challenge stunned U.S. officials who have been trying to lower expectations for a deal on the complex and politically risky issue that could legalize millions of undocumented Mexicans. Even some Mexican officials said they had no notice that Fox would push for quick action.
The two-day state visit, an important political event to both Bush and Fox, began promptly at 9:30 a.m. EDT when a military band struck up a Sousa march and the two presidents strolled shoulder to shoulder onto the White House back lawn. Military honor guards stood stone-faced as their battle ribbons, jostled atop flag poles by a cool wind, whipped at their faces.
Bush, hoping to court Hispanic voters for his 2004 re-election bid, said Wednesday's formal welcoming ceremony, one-on-one Oval Office session, rare joint Cabinet meeting and state dinner - along with his and Fox's joint trip Thursday to Ohio - amounted to a ``recognition that the United States has no more important relationship in the world.''
With all the pageantry a president can muster, Bush welcomed Fox to what he called the ``Casa Blanca'' and said, ``We understand that our two nations must work together in a spirit of respect and common purpose to seize opportunities and tackle challenges on the issues that affect the lives of our citizens, including migration, the environment, drugs, crime, corruption and education.''
That included just a glancing reference to the issue that dominates U.S.-Mexican relations: What should be done with the 3 million or so illegal Mexican immigrants who want legal status in America, and millions more in Mexico who want to cross the 2,000-mile border? The president wants an undetermined number of illegal immigrants to become legal.
A joint statement being released Thursday as Bush and Fox tour a Hispanic community center in Toledo, Ohio, commits the pair to forging a ``realistic approach to migration'' that respects ``the human dignity of all migrants, regardless of their (legal) status.''
With a dozen anti-immigration protesters outside the White House gates, Bush and first lady Laura Bush threw Fox an intimate state dinner with an extraordinary finale of fireworks on the South Lawn.
Raising a glass of 7-Up, the teetotaling Bush toasted Fox ``friend to friend, partner to partner, neighbor to neighbor.'' Fox returned the compliment, calling Bush ``Jorge'' and someone he trusts to take action on the immigration problem.
Bush's trip to Mexico in February raised hopes in both countries that an agreement would come quickly, but the leaders have sounded more cautious in recent weeks as congressional conservatives raised objections.
On the eve of their meetings, Bush said the complexity of the issue bars a quick deal and acknowledged that he has ``a lot more selling to do'' in Congress. Fox said Sunday it would take four to six years to complete a comprehensive U.S.-Mexican immigration overhaul.
Flanked by Bush in front of the Truman Balcony, Fox seemed to set a more aggressive timetable.
``We must and we can reach an agreement on migration before the end of this very year which will allow us, before the end of our respective terms, to make sure that there are no Mexicans who have not entered this country legally in the United States and that those Mexicans who have come into the country do so with the proper documents,'' said Fox. His term ends in 2006.
Fox appeared to be calling for an agreement that would be ready for consideration by the respective legislatures of the two countries before the end of the year. But U.S. officials have said that details such as timetables and the numbers of Mexicans who would be eligible have not yet been broached.
Fox believes Mexicans in the United States are not being treated fairly. He says U.S laws should be amended so that migrants receive health, education and labor rights and can work without fear of deportation.
Several administration officials said afterward they would have preferred to avoid the added pressure of a public deadline. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it is impossible to predict whether a comprehensive agreement can be reached this year, given the unease in Congress and fluidity of the talks.
Bush, asked whether he thought Fox's timetable was too ambitious, pretended not to understand the question and joked in Spanish, ``I can't hear.''
His national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites), said it would be nice to reach an agreement by year's end, but cautioned, ``The president shares the desire to do it quickly, but to get it right.'' Bush and Fox will release broad outlines of their immigration goals while touring a Hispanic community center in Toledo on Thursday.
Prodding Bush, House Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said he hopes to pass a bill during Fox's visit that would extend by a year the deadline for illegal immigrants to apply for visas.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., chairman of the congressional immigration reform caucus, said the prospects are not good for congressional approval of legislation that would legalize undocumented Mexican aliens.
People should not be rewarded who ``forget about American law, sneak into the country and avoid detection,'' he said.
Bush has acknowledged such concerns, but nonetheless says it would be in the nation's interest to match hardworking Mexicans with American employers.
Fox's remarks reflected the political pressures he faces at home to strike an agreement with Bush. He hopes to quiet critics in Mexico who say he promised much during his landmark election campaign and has delivered little.
Look at Reality. The Mexicans are here. Would you care to guess how many state economies would collapse if the Mexicans disappeared. What would happen to the price of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Can you honestly say that their presence has no benefit to you?
By the way, when three newbies such as Vorpol Gay Blade, Logic Succioty, And Marine Short Arm Inspector show up to bash Bush, you don't have much credibility.
Statistics is growing. Illegal immigration advocates = criminals.
You gotta get that old country attitude outta you, madrussian. It is not a crime to expouse a point of view in this country. At least, not yet.
We're basically agreeing to "prop up" a tinpot who obviously has no intention of being any different than his Other Party Predecessor.
You have a deep dislike of illegal immigrants 'sneaking' into our country. Heck-NO ONE LIKES THAT.
Then why in the world should we support it?
That is why, as a nation, we need to ENCOURAGE the growth and development of MEXICO while we continue to allow those who search for work (what in the heck is WRONG with THAT?) to find it here, as LONG as we have the jobs.
When has America NOT encouraged the growth and development of Mexico? I'm not sitting around in my pad hoping Mexico gets flushed down a sewer.
But President Fox stated last year, during his campaign, that he intends to be the President of Mexicans not only in his own country, BUT HERE AS WELL. How can he be the President of Mexicans who become citizens of the United States? He sure as hell can't get THEIR votes...unless they have the same problems there as we had in Garden Grove, California a few years ago. (But of course, one country's problem is another country's boon, eh?)
Has President Fox stated yet how he intends to improve the lot of Mexicans by leading the charge for a more responsible and less corrupt MEXICAN government? If so, it must have slipped past me. And if he's reforming his government now, I've heard nothing about it.
He seems to be more enamored about talking about what WE have to do to help HIM out.
I repeat...Mexico is NOT Somalia. It is not a vast expansive wasteland of desert without any resources whatsoever.
If anyone is starving there, it is because their government is not interested in divesting themselves of any control in order to promote freedoms in its country for its own citizens.
Reforming a government does not mean encouraging people to go somewhere else for a better life.
And we should not be supporting this notion.
Hehehehe! If you think I'm gonna tell anyone around here to bite ME...you're foolin' yerself!
I stand on the side of the First Amendment. Since you said Illegal immigration advocates = criminals, it seems you don't grasp that concept yet. Maybe you should go back to whereever you came from since you aren't assimilating well. /sarcasm
Uh, advocate doesn't mean that. Try choosing your words more carefully...
Don't knock newbies.
Just who the hell are we...the Cabots and the Lodges?
LOL!
You mean like this poetical false analogy? (BTW, I see I am not the only one protesting on this thread.)
The New ColossusIt would help your case if you explained in more detail why you object to illegal immigration. Is it mostly because it's illegal? If so, one would have to examine the relationship between justice and law. I personally have a tough time calling an illegal immigrant a criminal.Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates
Shall stand A mighty woman with a torch,
Whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning,
And her name Mother of Exiles.From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome;
Her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor
That twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!"
Cries she with silent lips."Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"--Emma Lazarus
Is it because most illegals are Mexican? Do you have cultural concerns about their assimilation? Or do you think that they are primarily an economic burden on taxpayers?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.