Posted on 08/16/2005 6:53:53 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
Mexico's Fox protests as second US state closes border
Arizona ignored pleas for greater cooperation from Mexican President Vicente Fox to become the second US state to declare a state of emergency on its border due to rising illegal immigration, violence and smuggling.
Four days after New Mexico declared a 90 day state of emergency for border areas, Arizona did the same for its four counties on the Mexican frontier, citing uncontrolled illegal immigration.
"The federal government has to secure our border, and the health and safety of all Arizonans is threatened daily by violent gangs, coyotes (human traffickers) and other dangerous criminals," said Arizona governor Janet Napolitano in a statement.
"I intend to take every action feasible to stem the tide of criminal behavior on the Arizona side of the border," she said.
Napolitano explained her decision based on statistics showing that illegal crossings on US borders are as high as three million every year, and that as many as 700,000 new unauthorized immigrants entered the country last year, many through Arizona.
On Friday, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson issued the state of emergency along his state's border with Mexico, citing "recent developments ... including violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants."
The moves followed the week-long closure at the beginning of August of the US consulate in Nuevo Laredo, on the border with Texas, following a rise in lethal gang violence in that Mexican city.
The state of emergency declarations for the two states' border areas opened the way for the two governors to tap into emergency funds to expand border control operations.
Napolitano said Arizona would be earmarking 1.5 million dollars in emergency funds "to combat the growing devastation caused by the crimes associated with illegal immigration."
Mexican President Fox responded Tuesday to the moves by the two US governors with calls for greater cooperation over border problems.
He exhorted the United States to coordinate with Mexico to resolve border problems.
"Instead of pointing fingers, let's have proposals; instead of each side working by itself, let's work together; only like this will we be able to win," Fox said.
"There are criminal organizations on both that side (of the border) and this side; there are drug users on that side and this side," he said.
Sean McCormack, spokesman for the US State Department, said Tuesday that the US government is working alongside the Mexican government to protect the border.
McCormack said in regard to Richardson's decision that, as the governor of New Mexico, he has the responsibility to protect his state citizens in the manner he sees apprpriate.
Mexican agencies continued to stress the need to cooperate on border problems. On Monday, Jose Reyes Baena, the governor of the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, met with Texas authorities to discuss border security, especially the problem of drug trafficking, which has resulted in some 550 deaths along the border so far this year.
The Mexican foreign and interior ministries also said Tuesday in a joint statement that they were contacting Napolitano to discuss the new measures.
"We will watch to see that any action by police organizations remains respectful of the rights of our compatriots and respect domestic and international laws," the statement said.
The election base for the Republicans will be so eroded to the point where regardless of how qualified a Republican running for the Presidency in 08 that candidate will have a disappointing turnout. This will be especially true if the Bush administration does not act in a clear and decisive manner to resolve the illegal immigrant issue.
Not to worry, Arizona is not closing it's borders. Napalitano does not have the cajones.
Various members of the Congressional and Senate Immigration Crisis Team (ICT) respond to the national emergency . .
Hannity asked richardson if he was going to meet with simcox and richardson distanced and snubbed simcox in blunt terms.
Simcox came on and he said he was in negotiations with richardson and his staff and then went on to praise ricgardson for his phony emergency and minor administartve move.
#126 - my ALL-TIME FAVORITE!
Voters are a fickle bunch, I know, I am one. ;-)
Timing and intervening events play heavily in election outcome. I've given up any serious playing of the prediction game (and often figure it's rigged anyway), and reserve my support for individual candidates or advocacy groups. E.g., in the last election, I donated to the Swiftees, but not to the RNC.
"The new hero to some on FR, Chinagate figure, bill richardson at his true home."===========================
#137 - Thanks for not including me in on that great distinction . . .
Yeah, they are and man I got whiplash watching Janet turn on a dime on this. For the last two years she's been vetoing every single measure that would help stop the flow of illegals. Suddenly, Richardson does something and Janet was right along side of him.
I see Pres Carter is there in an advisory capacity. He's the one in the Checkered flannel shirt and the ball cap. LOL!!!!!!!
Ditto.
Money well spent.
Come on CA and TX really make the Fox howl at the moon!
"I see Pres Carter is there in an advisory capacity. He's the one in the Checkered flannel shirt and the ball cap. LOL!!!!!!!"
============================
By George . . .
The Bush administration will start to "study" the problem, and the hearings in Congress will start in a few months and drag on until after the next election...everyone will say they are working on it as fast as they can, but nothing will happen.
There is no intention to stop this problem by either party. If we cannot stop the illegals crossing our border, how can we stop the infiltration into Iraq from Iran and Syria? We can do all of it with the right resources, but we will not get them.
The true meaning of this whole "event" in history will be how we look back on this situation and react as a people, Democrat and Republican alike, to a totally non-responsive government, the leaders of which have decided to open our borders and send our jobs to Mexico.
But as we make a new continental economic sphere, watch how the environmental and labor laws from this country are not passed or enforced by the Mexican government...This is a deception by our leaders on the grandest scale...and the people are not in agreement. The US worker will suffer the most.
The questions is, "Why is this happening?" My biggest fear is that those who have nothing to this point, will come up with a solution that will advance the one continent economic spher, while paying lipservice to something unimportant but appealing to the masses.
What does one do when the leadership will not listen to the people that elected them?
Hey, Happy, speaking of China: what's the FR Obie position on the sale of Unocal--and other resources--to the Chicoms? You're a big commie; you ought to know that. /sarcasm
No,...by Yimminie!!!
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