Future of migration accord in doubt after GOP victory in U.S. elections

The News (Mexico City) ^ | November 7, 2002 | Michael O'Boyle

[sarcasm]

Following the Republican's victory in U.S. midterm elections, Mexico will relaunch its efforts to clinch a migration accord, but analysts doubt either U.S. President George W. Bush or a conservative U.S. Congress will accede.

Officials from the Foreign Relations Secretariat on Tuesday said Mexico would renew efforts to strike a deal with Washington to regularize millions of Mexicans living illegally in the United States and expand legal opportunities for the tens of thousands who slip across the Mexico-U.S. border each year.

In a Monday television interview, Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castañeda said the end of the volatile political atmosphere of the U.S. elections allows for a new attempt to reach a deal.

Starting Tuesday, "we will begin to work very hard to convince the U.S. government a migrant accord is indispensable," Castañeda said.

Castañeda said the next few weeks would be crucial to see if Bush and his administration show any signs of willingness to take up negotiations again.

Early in Bush's administration, a migration deal between the two nations seemed likely, but following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, Mexico has slid off Washington's radar.

Fox began his term with an aggressive push to secure a far-reaching migrant accord. His most ambitious hope - amnesty for illegal migrants already living in the United States - long has been considered dead in the water, but a new temporary worker program or an increase in the number of legal migrants per year still are seen as possible components of a deal.

However, after Tuesday's elections, which gave Republicans control of the U.S. Congress, the possibility of any migrant accord has been pushed off the table, said Rafael Fernandez de Castro, director of the journal Foreign Affairs En Español.

"Democrats had every intention of pushing a deal forward, but now we are in the hands of Bush," Fernandez said. "The personal relationship between Fox and Bush is tapped out. We can't expect that to play for anything. Most worrying, Bush may be angry with Fox and Castañeda for not supporting his war with Iraq."

[Tancredo Fan]

It's good to see that dunce Roy out of the state house. In addition to the flag issue, he is a real gung-ho illegal alien cheerleader.

Marsha Blackburn won big in Tennessee after working hard to make sure illegal alien criminals didn't get their much sought after Tennessee driver's licenses, breeder documents that are a stepping stone to even more fraud committed by these arrogant squatters.

Tom Tancredo won big again in Colorado.

If Bush wants to win in 2004, it would be a good idea for him to tell that pest Vicente Fox and his Marxist side-kick Castaneda to shove off once and for all.... right before putting troops on our borders and ordering a mass round-up and deportation of all illegal aliens.

[RLK]

If you look at Mexican maps there are entire areas the size of Rhode Island with few roads and no cities of any size. Water would need to be brought up from the south to make the areas livable. Mexico is too primitive and corrupt a country to undertake such tasks.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Anybody else out there have some good G-2 intelligence, based on Babelfish/Alta Vista translating, of Spanish language liberal US Hispanic or Mexican-based press with analysis that shows they are in deep caca with the border situation since the country swung pro-America yesterday? I think it merits to see La Opinion in L.A. for example.

If there is any crying and licking of wounds and post-election strategizing in Espanol in the Hispanic press, please translate into 'American' and post on FR ASAP according so we can enjoy the internal conversation of the enemy, those who would destroy any last vestigate or portion of our national borders, and who would gladly throw one big borderless fiesta inviting everyone and his brother over, including terroristas and drug warlords and welfare cheats, into our Beloved Republic.

[AmericanInTokyo]

el bumpo, por favor.

xie, xie. tsai chien. spasibo!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Eva]

The author has aptly described the situation. Fox has destroyed any feelings of goodwill between the US and Mexico. There is no reason for Bush to make any concessions for migrants.

Close the borders.

[FreedomFriend]

Have you driven around the southwest. Better yet, West Texas on I-10 east of El Paso? How about I-70 in Eastern Utah? How about I-94 in western North Dakota and eastern Montana?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

thanx for the ping...

You been hearing rumors about Chris Cannon taking over the Immigration Subcommittee in the House? If that happens, we can forget about any reform.

Guess we gotta start bugging Sensenbrenner to put in Elton Gallegly or Bill Jenkins. Cannon would be a disaster.

[mafree]

There has been talk about the Hispanic vote (much of it Mexican) helping GOP candidates in some key races last Tues. Do you think that may mute efforts of Bush to clamp down on illegal immigration?

[FreedomFriend]

Max Cleland was also an illegal alien cheerleader. He was booted, too.

Barnes was most likely going to give the illegals drivers licenses.

Cleland helped start a program of "Spanish-teaching" in the Dalton City Schools if my memory serves me correctly.

[Whilom]

Not until we get control of our borders, the INS, and the State Department Office of Consular Affairs will be make headway in the war on terrorism. The so-called "migrant accord" is a step backward, and a dangerous one.

[RLK]

I'm familiar with the Dakotas as they were 40 years ago because I lived in SD for a year. The rest of the places I have never been to and have no interest for me with the possible exception of Utah. From what I understand from Taxan friends, at one time it took 30 West Texas acres to support one cow.

[skeeter]

He must export at least 2,000,000 people per year to the United States to break even , let alone solve his problems.

And he'll get huge political influence within the greatest nation on earth as a bonus.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

...that shows they are in deep caca with the border situation since the country swung pro-America yesterday?

The Mexican government sure is persistent aren't they?

They won't be deterred by our elections to keep pushing for amnesty, only actions by Bush like closing the border and deporting illegals will send them the message they need.

[AmericanInTokyo]

STRATEGY?

Perhaps the ONLY way to counter the Republican big business based interest LOBBYING in favor of porous borders and employment of illegal aliens (so far, resonant with Bush, Rove, Fleischer et. al. and all RINOs in office) is to show DIRECTLY how illegal Hispanic vote, encouraged by Hispanic newspapers, local election boards, radio, churches etc., tipped the scale in 2002 in close races and took seats away from Republicans to place them with Democrats. Kathleen Kennedy tried this tactic but they did not turn out in large enough numbers. Elsewhere, they may have.

We all remember of course Orange County some years ago and that fiasco.

You have to get to what is IN THE DIRECT INTEREST of Republican Politicians. Keeping their jobs and political power base is just as important and keeping the flow of pro-illegal immigration business contributions.

Freepers have some researching to do and must canvass the new Congress and the White House now, Congressman Tom Tancredo and his staff on the Hill could be the "command and control center" for this operation.

[RLK]

only actions by Bush like closing the border and deporting illegals will send them the message they need.

----------------------------

Bush will never do that and in a few more years it will be too late to do that.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Not if we conservatives, Asian-style, find the weak 'pressure points' and exploit it.

They are there, if we can only search, find and exploit.

[Eva]

I forgot to mention that the reference to working with the Democrats rather than Bush on this migrant workers agreement indicates that Tiny Tom and his cohorts have been working behind the scenes to undermine the Bush administration's diplomatic efforts with Mexico.

I wonder in what other regions the Democrats are negotiating their own diplomacy.