Bush Proposes New Aid to Mexico, $30 Million Aimed at Stemming Immigration by Promoting Investment

Washington Post ^ | 3/20/02 | Mike Allen

[areafiftyone]

President Bush plans to direct $30 million to poor areas of Mexico over the next year in an effort to discourage illegal immigration by strengthening businesses there, administration officials said yesterday.

Bush will announce the plan in Mexico as part of a four-day Latin America trip that will begin Thursday. He had resisted earlier requests from Mexican President Vicente Fox for massive assistance to parts of his country that have struggled even as the border region boomed after the 1993 signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

[dennisw]

More money down the Azteca ****hole.

[SCalGal]

You know, if they'd allow American citizens to own land, they'd have no shortage of investors.

As it is, we shouldn't give them one single dime.

[thatsnotnice]

Mexico has a good amount of natural resources including petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, and timber. Seafood too. How about getting some $2.00/barrel oil, etc., headed north in exchange for all this aid?

[KC_Conspirator]

How about getting some $2.00/barrel oil, etc., headed north in exchange for all this aid?

I like Michael Savages idea of a barrel of oil for each illegal immigrant.

[skeeter]

The American taxpayer is already carrying a good portion of the Mexican economy on it's back via tax free wages flowing south, medical and social services for migrants, etc.

Any significant amount of foreign aid offered as a 'carrot' should be accompanied by an illegal immigrant crack-down 'stick'.

Instead we're planning to legalize 'em. Jeez...

[conserve-it]

30 million isn't gonna fix anything. This is a sham to show Bush detractors that he is trying to stop the flow of illegal immigration. And a very cynical attempt at that. What is he going to do? Build 30 Dairy Queens??

[Lion's Cub]

More communist wealth "redistribution". BTW, now that all these companies have cheap labor, no regulation, and US supported social services, why aren't prices any cheaper?

[glc1173@aol.com]

Has all the prior U.S. investment in "maquiladoras" reduced illegal immigration from Mexico?

The history of "maquiladoras" has been that at the same time that investment by American firms in "maquiladoras" soared, so did illegal immigration from Mexico. Here in North Carolina, we had practically zero nontransient Mexican illegals up until six years ago - and textile firms in this state relocated production to Mexico during that time.
"Maquiladoras" have actually incited illegal immigration by their comparatively-much-higher pay luring Mexicans to the border area - where they then see the still-much-higher living standards a couple miles away in the U.S.

IMMIGRATION resource library - with public-health facts of immigration!

[Tancredo Fan]

This is another absurd proposal. The U.S. has been dumping money into that corruption ridden nation for decades. Just put the military on the border and stop the invasion. Mexico will never, ever be the "good neighbor" that Bush says it is.

[FreeTally]

I think a better idea is to deport Bush and his entire family to Mexico.

[Priscilla]

How do we know this money is going to aid the poor? I believe this money will find a way into Bushes friends pockets and into the pockets of the elite. If I am wrong then, let President Bush account for all the taxpaper funds! As a taxpayer and American citizen, I want to know where this money is going!

[Regulator]

You can bet something like that is in the works. PEMEX looks like the prize pony to the oil guys around Jorge.

[Regulator]

And soon, before they start using bayonets on us to stand by while their new serf class is ushered in here.

[koba]

Serfs up!

[hobbes1]

YAAAAAY! More T!tt!e bars in Tiajauna!

[Joe Hadenuf]

Throwing more of *our money* to countries run by criminal corrupt dictators. Didn't President Bush just hand out FIVE BILLION of our money the other day to other third world coutries?

[AmericanInTokyo]

FREEPERS:

Think long and hard on this one, as you seal the envelope for your 2002 Federal Taxes and put it in the mail slot.

Think REEEEAL good about this.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Sheesh, and we have nearly seven years left of Bush if he is reelected. That's a lot of time.... Think of all the other things he can and will cave on that are near and dear to patriots' hearts. Affirmative Action. Supreme Court. Abortion. Gay Marriages. Taxes. Trade with China. This is not good.

[Brownie74]

As it is, we shouldn't give them one single dime.

I agree. We don't owe Mexico anything.

Fox is the biggest beggar I have ever seen in my life. Mexico says it wants $20 billion a year in new infrastructure for the next 10 years. Add that money to the money that these illegals are already costing us here in welfare and hospital cost and that come to a lot of money out of our pockets. Not just our pockets but our kids pockets as well.

We the people say no to this but King Jorge says yes so guess who is going to win.

He may win this battle but I will win at the polls in 2004 when I pull the lever for someone other than His Majesty King Jorge.