Democratic leaders urge Bush to strengthen ties with Mexico

EFE via The News-Mexico ^ | March 10, 2002 | Staff Writer

[AzJohn]

Congressional democratic leaders seem to support Bush's Mexico policy more than the republicans. File Photo, TheNewsMexico.com

The top Democrats in the U.S. Congress on Friday urged President George W. Bush to increase economic aid to Mexico and hasten approval of an immigration bill to help illegal Mexican immigrants legalize their residence.

Strengthening ties with Mexico is crucial to national security, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (Dem.-SD) and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (Dem.-MO) said in an open letter to Bush, urging the president to boost bilateral cooperation on issues such as immigration and border security in his upcoming visit to Mexico.

Among four principal points addressed in the letter, the legislators asked Bush to pressure the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to approve Section 245(i) of a pending immigration bill, allowing immigrants to legalize their status without leaving the United States.

Despite the fact the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks practically ruled out the possibility of a program legalizing the status of illegal immigrants, the legislators said Congress should approve Section 245(i), which had 500,000 applications from January 2000 to April 2001.

According to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services, some 75 percent of the applicants are spouses or children of U.S. citizens or legal residents.

In the letter, the Democratic leaders underscored the need to increase economic assistance to Mexico to help the country create jobs and other economic opportunities. As part of an increase in "bilateral and multilateral" resources for Mexico, the legislators proposed expanding loan programs for small businesses in the country.

Daschle and Gephardt also said the North American Development Bank should make low-interest loans to finance sustainable development programs along the nearly 2,000 miles of border between the nations.

Lastly, the legislators urged "cooperation and not confrontation" in the war on drugs, stressing their rejection of the controversial annual certification process. Congress suspended for one year the process, in which U.S. authorities assess the cooperation of other countries in the fight against illegal drug production and distribution.

Daschle and Gephardt said they trust Bush will take advantage of his visit to the northern Mexican city of Monterrey on March 22 to work toward a permanent halt of the certification process, which most countries consider arrogant and condescending.

[AzJohn]

The comments of Daschle and Gephardt are the usual fare from the Democrats. What I found interesting is that I had to read this on the Web site of a Mexican newspaper, even though this concerns the Democratic leaders in Congress calling on President Bush to take certain actions. This "open letter" is not on the Web site of either Daschle or Gephardt, at least not yet. I also did several searches and could not find it on the Web site of any U.S. newspaper.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Daschle and Gebhardt could be advised to be careful what they wish for; they might get it.

[willyone]

A few million more Democratic voters that can be put on welfare, Medicare etc.? Sounds like their lucky day.

[AzJP]

Sure wish the feds would streamline INS.
As I understand it now, if a born-here marries a born-here, married here, and they visit relatives in Mexico, and then mama gives birth to their child while they're in Mexico, and they all three come back home in the USA, by law the child has to legally go back to Mexico and "apply" to become legal in this country.
Of course the likelihood is that Mom and Dad will ignore the whole damn thing, but nineteen years later, when that kid is working his way through college he is ILLEGAL.
Meanwhile, the INS with their lightning like federal response to paperwork, have a backlog of hundreds of thousands in this category.
Kinda' like career longevity enhancement for the feds, eh?

[too-taxed]

Yes, isn't it interesting where this information is being communicated. This Democratic announcment is like telling Bush to encourage the sun to shine -- it already does; and President Bush has been strengthening ties with Mexico since the beginning of his Presidency.

Dems are fearful that Hispanic voters will believe the President's sincerity and vote Republican. They are attempting to corral the Hispanic vote back into the tightly controlled Democratic fold.

[Willie Green]

Daschle and Gebhardt could be advised to be careful what they wish for; they might get it.

Why should they expect any less?

This is one of many issues where it was stated repeatedly before the election that Bush = Gore.

Hell, the Republicrats even agreed to stifle any legitimate debate on the issue during the elections.

Go Pat Go!!!

[AzJohn]

...if a born-here marries a born-here, married here, and they visit relatives in Mexico, and then mama gives birth to their child while they're in Mexico, and they all three come back home in the USA, by law the child has to legally go back to Mexico and "apply" to become legal in this country.

I'd never heard that before. Wouldn't this affect a lot of military families who have children while overseas? Does this only apply in some cases?

[RaginRak]

Why don't we just annex Mexico and be done with it!!!

[D. Miles]

Exactly, their vote in exchange for a buck or two! Americans For Immigration Control, Inc. has out a very interesting vact sheet on exactly how much aliens cost us, the taxpayer each year! Of course since Daschle is in favor of pork, why not add more to the pot?

[AzJP]

I have no idea what are the answers to your questions.
Ironically the kid in question has a scholarship lined up to NAU but he's a bit nervous about that with the paranoia now.
Also ironically he's been offered a scholarship to a university in Mexico. Both scholarships would satisfy his desire to become a teacher.
He doesn't want to study in Mexico, he doesn't want to live there.
But the only birth certificate he has is from Mexico.
He really wants to teach somewhere in rural Arizona.
Life is not fair.

[Kermit]

I say we adopt the policies that Mexico does with illegal immigrants. Deport them, keep them out of public schools and make immigrants learn the language.

[knarf]

"Strengthening ties with Mexico is crucial to national security .... "

Wasn't this the catch-all reasoning for everything illegal that x42 did?

I'm sure I'm correct about this.

[TEXICAN II]

Every action & policy of the gov hones the sytem-Control & Taxation are the only ends and crisis is the ideal time to further refine the system. each new law, regulation, policy, Executive Order, etc is a new filter for all action & provides a refinement.

[meenie]

The only way to win the battle on immigration is to let them all in. Let the Mexican population drive the gov't into bankruptcy. Let the mideasterns flock in, until there are more terrorists here than in Saudi Arabia. This way the terrorists will be afraid to attack for fear of killing their own.

Pretty soon, we will be so impoverished, Mexico will look like Utopia and the illegals will all leave to go back to the land of plenty. The mideasterns will be so disenchanted with our democratic system, the dictatorships in the middle east will look like paradise.

Then the mongrel hordes from Europe that settled this country can start cleaning up the litter and make America the Beautiful again. Excuse me, my scizophrenia is acting up again.

[liberalism=failure]

Ah yes, the old 4 step strategy--

1)the demoRats know this will bring them more votes, so they'll protray anybody who is against it as an: intolerant, racist, sexist, xenophobe, homophobe, yada yada.

2)Then the republicowards will end up backing it in order to prove that they really aren't all those things to Hispanic voters in order to get their votes.

3)And then when they do, Hispanics will not change their voting habits one iota.

4)And the Demorats will say, ha ha suckers! and do it all over again on another issue.

[TEXICAN II]

Ah feeeel yooour PAIN!

[Uncle Bill]

"Democratic leaders urge Bush to strengthen ties with Mexico"

This won't be a problem with Jorge W. Boosh.