Mexico official: U.S. policy leading to deaths on border

Houston chronicle ^ | 6/27/02 | Edward Hegstrom

[Tancredo Fan]

June 27, 2002, 8:08AM

Mexico official: U.S. policy leading to deaths on border

By EDWARD HEGSTROM
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

Using some of the strongest language yet to demand an amnesty for illegal immigrant workers, Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge G. Castañeda suggested Wednesday that U.S. policy is responsible for the death of Mexicans at the border.

Castañeda, speaking before the League of United Latin American Citizens annual convention here, called on the U.S. government to reopen talks to "regularize" the status of the estimated 3 million Mexicans who live in the United States illegally. Negotiations on an immigration deal between the two governments progressed throughout the summer of 2001 but broke down after Sept. 11.

That has meant a continuation of the status quo, which Castañeda says is unacceptable.

"Let us recognize a self-evident truth," he said. "So far, U.S. immigration policies have failed to reduce undocumented migration from Mexico and instead have fostered a dangerous and even deadly black market in human beings. Many Mexicans, who want nothing more than to work hard and help their families, have died trying to enter the United States."

But even as he blasted U.S. immigration practices, Castañeda acknowledged that it would likely be 2003 before the Mexican government can get Washington to return to the table for meaningful discussions. He said it would be difficult to obtain a deal in a U.S. election year.

Before Sept. 11, Castañeda famously suggested that Mexico would settle only for the "whole enchilada," by which he meant that the government wanted a comprehensive plan to deal with cross-border migration. This included allowing illegal immigrant Mexicans to obtain visas as well as establishing new programs to bring yet more Mexican workers from across the border.

But on Wednesday, Castañeda suggested that his government is now willing to accept a more gradual process.

He noted that by lobbying local governments in the United States, the Mexican government has managed to make it easier for illegal immigrants to live a more normal life. The Mexicans have pushed to get their citizens proper identification and access to college, he noted.

Some of these efforts have paid off locally. Houston police now recognize an ID card issued by the Mexican government, as do some banks. The state Legislature passed a bill last session allowing illegal immigrants to get in-state tuition at colleges, provided they are graduates of a Texas high school. The Legislature also passed a bill allowing illegal immigrants to get a driver's license, though it was vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry.

Human rights groups have frequently suggested that U.S. policy has caused deaths along the border, a contention that is also supported by the authors of a University of Houston study. Researchers say that by making it more difficult for migrants to cross in urban areas of the border, the U.S. government has forced them to cross at the more dangerous points, such as the Arizona desert, where at least 53 illegal entrants are known to have died since October.

But David V. Aguilar, chief of the Tuscon sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, said his agents are trained to save lives, something they frequently do.

"A managed border is a safe border," he said at an earlier LULAC seminar.

Castañeda's speech culminated a day of seminars probing the effects of Sept. 11 on immigration. The panelists, almost all of whom favored high levels of immigration, called on the government to find ways to fight terrorism without jeopardizing the lives of law-abiding foreign citizens.

A number of new restrictions on immigrants have been implemented since Sept. 11. Bills approved by Congress call for more immigration agents, improving monitoring of foreign students and adding new high-tech visas that make it easier to track when a foreigner enters and leaves the United States.

But panelists said they were most worried by the actions of Attorney General John Ashcroft, who has implemented several policy changes at the Department of Justice that do not need congressional approval. Ashcroft has called for tracking down more than 300,000 illegal immigrants who remain in the country after being ordered deported.

[Tancredo Fan]

This sniveling Marxist should be declared persona non grata and booted out of the U.S. for good. If anyone is to blame for these illegals committing suicide it's the crooked Mexican government itself. They seem not to hesitate to tell their criminal trespassers to just keep trying until they are able to successfully invade the U.S. Mexico is sending their hordes into the desert. FREEP THIS POLL!

[Tancredo Fan]

An outraged PING!

[Ingtar]

"A mined border is a more secure border."

[AAABEST]

Mexico official: U.S. policy leading to deaths on border

No, their own stupidity is leading to deaths on the border. They're lucky we haven't put alligators in the Rio Grande yet.

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

It's Mexico's corrupt government that's causing Mexican's to flee and die. If the Mexicano officials spent half as much time trying to fix their own problems instead of whining about US policy they might accomplish something.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge G. Castañeda is an idiot. He is a classic liberal, "It isn't my fault that my actions cause me harm, it is yours."

[alloysteel]

Only one policy is leading to the deaths of Mexican nationals crossing illegally into the United States, and that is the policy of the Mexican Government itself, for refusing to regulate the orderly passage of its own people to the US borders. We will accept the legitimate applicants, taken in their turn, but NO LINE-JUMPING!!! We don't tolerate it in movie theater ticket offices, or Disney World, why should that behavior be accepted at our national borders? People that cross international borders without permission are presumed to have mischief in mind.

[RoughDobermann]

Researchers say that by making it more difficult for migrants to cross in urban areas of the border, the U.S. government has forced them to cross at the more dangerous points, such as the Arizona desert, where at least 53 illegal entrants are known to have died since October.

Not to be cold here, but so what? They are trying to enter OUR contry illegally. And, "forced them to cross at the more dangerous points"? Forced them? I didn't realize that we had people across the border in Mexico forcing these criminals to cross our border... As a legal immigrant, I urinate on these people's graves. Again, they chose (i.e., were not forced) to illegally enter our country and died doing it. Sorry. My alligator tears are flowing.

[MissAmericanPie]

If the corrupt Mexican government were not so busy stuffing it's own pockets with every peso they can lay their filthy hands on and build a middle class economy Mexican's wouldn't have to leave Mexico.

No one here is fooled about the elite clique of power in Mexico and what their feelings are towards the populace of peon slaves they keep their boot on the neck of. That everyday Mexicans don't rise up and toss the bums out is their problem, not ours and is no excuse for breaking our laws. Kind of like my teens bedroom, they should live in their own misery or clean it up.

[Brownie74]

This poll is running about the same as it was the other day. About 94% of the people say they have had enough of the immigration insanity.

Castaneda just keeps stirring the pot and of course he goes to LULAC to do it. We should keep both Fox and Castaneda out of the United States.

[TADSLOS]

"A managed border is a safe border,"

No, a CLOSED border is a safe border.

[Tancredo Fan]

Look at who's showing up to make appearances at the meeting of the seething seditionists (LULAC). The usual suspects.

[TomGuy]

Many Mexicans, who want nothing more than to work hard and help their families, have died trying to enter the United States

[sniffle, wiping tears] Well, dammit! Let's just open the borders wide and put some buses (air conditioned, of course) down there to transport these poor border-crossers to the nearest motel (at taxpayers' expense). [sniffle, wiping tears]. Oh, by the way, Minister Jorge G. Castañeda, what's the deal with y'all hindering those Central and South Americans from coming up through your southern border??? What's this about deporting 30,000 illegal, oops, undocumented, back to Central/South American??? Surely, Minister Jorge G. Castañeda, y'all aren't supporting a double standard, now, are ya??? Maybe those 30,000 just want nothing more than to work hard and help their families--you know, work in Mexico City, or Guadalajara, or Vera Cruz, resort cities, restaurants, fields.

[yoe]

Bump!

[tom paine 2]

bump

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

That everyday Mexicans don't rise up and toss the bums out is their problem

Conditions haven't gotten bad enough for a revolution.

[MissAmericanPie]

"Conditions haven't gotten bad enough for a revolution"

Well heck no they haven't, and they won't as long as they can step across our border and influence politics here and find relief instead of at home where they belong.

[3AngelaD]

There used to be alligators in the plaza fountain in downtown El Paso. Perhaps this approach should be reconsidered.

[robowombat]

This is right on target. The pervasive corruption and institutional malaise and torpor that is the hallmark of our southern neigbor is what generates the waves of illegals as the land mass of Mexico is blessed with nearly as abundant natural resources as the US. Unfortunately the zero sum attitude towards almost all transactions in that society has created a self perpetuating cliques at every level who monopolize every good thing. For the average Mex national life is domonated by a struggle for survival and attempts to avoid various official and quasi official predators. In some ways Mexico reminds one of a Moslem state-pervasive corruption, and tyranny tempered with the fear of assasination.