Posted on 05/14/2005 11:39:27 AM PDT by AllieOop
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Vicente Fox called recent U.S. measures to stem illegal immigration a step back for bilateral relations on Friday and said Mexican migrants do jobs "that not even blacks want to do."
In comments likely to raise the temperature of the immigration debate, Fox defended the role of undocumented Mexican workers in the United States to a group of Texas business people meeting in Mexico.
"There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the United States," he said in a speech broadcast in part on local radio and reported on newspaper web sites.
Fox said recent, tougher measures against immigrants do not represent "the road we should be building between friends and partners."
Mexico has been seeking an accord with Washington for years to make it easier for millions of illegal Mexican immigrants to live and work in the United States. The country expects to repatriate this year more than 250,000 foreigners, mostly Central Americans headed for the U.S. border.
Mexican hopes were raised early last year when President Bush proposed a temporary worker program but it has become bogged down in Congress.
A key partner in U.S. border security, Mexico is upset at new U.S. controls on foreign-born people, including tougher rules to obtain drivers' licenses.
Congressional Republicans attached the immigration changes to legislation providing $82 billion in emergency funds for fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush is expected to sign the legislation into law soon.
The law, approved unanimously by the Senate on Tuesday, waives environmental rules to allow the extension of a fence on the border between California and Mexico to stop illegal immigrants. Mexico calls the measure "overly extreme."
But Fox said he was encouraged by a bill put forward on Thursday by Sens. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, and Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, to allow some of the estimated 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States to get legal jobs and eventual citizenship.
"I hope President Bush will support and push the initiative, as he has publicly agreed. I have to take his word and hope he delivers," Fox said.
You wo;t be flamed by me.
I don;t think that it's outside the realm of possibility that it would be in the interes of certain parties to erode the middle class.
You want to see what America will look like in 50 years? Consider China.
Der Fuhrer Fox shouldt march hiss sodiers NORTHWARD to imposze his vill upon us. (I'm sorry, I can't write in German accent.)
Love for the little coward to try something violent.
I don't think anything quite that diabolical is going on with the Bushes...
One of Bush's nephews is Mexican though---could be more of a family feeling of compadres!
And the only reason for that is we love anyone and anything Republican on FR. Couple that with the extraordinary hatred of any American who works for a living and it adds up to a rubber stamp on anything that comes out of the White House and blanket condemnation of anything or anyone who offers so much as a word of criticism about it.
Imagine the shrill cry of outrage if the exact same policies during the last five years with regard to illegal immigration, offshoring of high tech jobs and the collapse of the manufacturing infrastructure had happened under the leadership of Bill Clinton.
But then, what do you expect of people with broad band access, too much time on their hands, and dreams of being Bill Gates.
Bottom line: We love GWB. He has an "R" after his name and that's all that matters.
Your view is far kinder than my own.
Only if we allow it.
I know. Totally unacceptable.
You have far more confidence in the federal government than I do. Remember, had our security agencies really been on the ball, 9/11 could have been prevented. The CIA, NSA, FBI, ATF, and INS -- to name the major players -- are an absolute disgrace. With Porter Goss engaged in a top to bottom housecleaning, there is some hope for the CIA.
When I was growing up in Colorado in the 50's, 60's and 70's, we were REQUIRED to take Spanish from the 2nd grade through the 8th---after that, we could take another language or no foreign language---
So, I took spanish for 7 years and I barely remember any of it---it still makes me scratch my head WHY we did, way back then...
BTW, I live in Arlington---so, howdy neighbor...!
Also, I am watching THe Beltway Boys and Both Mort and Fred are in favor of some sort of immigration policy that lets them have a sort of amnesty---they said only radical hard right Republicans are against it....
BOY, do they need to read FR!
Couple that with the extraordinary hatred of any American who works for a living
You are full of it.
"...how's 'bout we send in some SWAT teams to Mexico to help with crime and drug control that "even Mexicans" won't do?"
Excellent point! Turnabout is always fair play!
I don't think we have a choice. The government is going to do what they want regardless of how we protest.
I am glad you feel that same way about that post as I do!!
Oh yes. They become citizens, the men wear nice suits, hold down good jobs. Join the PTA. But it's what goes on behind their closed doors that bother me.
I would like to think that you are wrong---
Maybe we should look to what the Ukrainians did---they had a non-stop peaceful protest until they got the "correct" results of a "fair" election...
I think whoever made up the phrase "ignorance is bliss" would say that it probably does not apply in the world today.
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