Posted on 12/27/2002 3:39:01 PM PST by Nachum
The Mexican government has formed a 100-member council in the United States comprised of U.S. residents whose stated mission is to advise Mexico City on the needs of its 9.5 million citizens living north of the border – legal and illegal.
Carlos Flores Vizcarra, Mexico's consul in Tucson, told the Arizona Daily Star the committee was a "representative entity" set up to "voice the concerns of the Mexicans who are here" in the U.S.
But critics of the committee say it is an attempt by Mexico to bypass U.S. sovereignty and set up representative branch of the Mexican government on U.S. soil.
"I think in general what the Mexican government wants is a joint sovereignty with the United States over Mexican nationals living in this country," Steven Camarota, research director of the Center for Immigration Studies – a group that favors restricted immigration – told the paper.
Vizcarra discounted that, saying the committee was not "a House of Representatives" or "a parliamentary assembly."
And Cándido Morales, director of the Mexican government's Institute of Mexicans Abroad, said one of the committee's functions is "to tell us what government programs that are targeted to their benefit in the United States are working, and which ones are not."
One example, he said, is the Mexican government's literacy program, which provides books to U.S.-based Mexican communities. And, he said, groups like Arizona's Yaquis could seek the committee's intervention in securing permission to cross the border to bring donated materials to the Yaquis in Sonora, Mexico.
Despite those explanations, however, there are other hints that the council may be more of a U.S.-based entity representative of the Mexican government. If nothing else, it seems to have the official backing of Mexico City.
The paper said seats on the council were distributed in proportion to the concentrations of Mexican nationals living in the U.S. Members were not chosen by election; they were selected by Mexico's consulates.
Also, the council itself will be chaired by Mexican President Vicente Fox and will feature representatives from Mexico's government ministries. Vizcarra said the representatives will serve as contacts for solving problems.
Glenn Spencer, an immigration reform activist, said he believes the council is a veiled attempt by Mexico to increase its power and influence in the U.S. He has called the new committee a "colonization council" and its members "Mexican agents."
He also linked the formation of the council to ongoing efforts by Mexico to establish a system in which Mexican nationals residing in the U.S. can cast absentee ballots in Mexican elections.
Currently, the Arizona Daily Star reported, the Mexican congress is considering proposals that would grant those voting rights. Mexican lawmakers are also considering a bill that would form a Mexican congressional district encompassing the entire United States.
U.S. Census Bureau figures estimate that 5 million Mexican-born U.S. residents are in the country legally, compared to about 4.5 million who reside here illegally.
Poverty and joblessness south of the border drives much of the illegal immigration to the United States, but a Mexican government report said earlier this year that even if the Mexican economy were to blossom, massive illegal immigration is still "inevitable."
"The migratory phenomenon between Mexico and the United states is structural and permanent," said a study by Mexico's National Population Council, a ministry of the Interior agency.
The report, entitled, "Migration: Mexico-United States," says regardless of improvements to Mexico's economy, by 2030 the Mexican-born U.S. population will at least double to 16 million to 18 million.
"Diverse factors such as geographic proximity, the asymmetrical and growing economic integration and intense relations and exchanges between both countries make the creation of migratory flow inevitable," said the report.
The report was published a year ago but ignored in the U.S. until David Simcox, board chairman of the nonprofit Center for Immigration Studies, produced an analysis and summary of the document for the Washington Times in March.
Prominent U.S. demographers who study Mexican immigration tended to agree with its general observations, the Times said.
The only concerns we care about are how to get them all out of here.
Wonder if Maxine will let them join the Congressional Black Caucus?
While many will see this as significant for the US, that remains to be seen. It is undoubtedly significant in Mexico.
Hernandez is US born(Fort Worth), introduced Fox and Bush, and was instrumental in bringing Fox to the forefront while he was governer. He is also the one that convinced Fox to hire Dick Morris to assist the presidential campaign.
As director of Migrant Affairs, Hernandez has traveled extensively thru-out the US doing what will now be done by these committee members in their local areas. He was likely not one to follow protocol and infuriated Castenada.
Castenada is a member of the PRD Socialist Party, was wildly popular as mayor of Mexico City and supported Fox for president. This support undoubtedly helped Fox in his election. It also helped that Castenada had prosecuted several members of PRI on corruption charges and likely funneled info on PRI corruption into the Fox campaign. Fox's main campaign theme was to paint PRI as corrupt(and they are).
Instead of seeing the appointment of this committee as something ominous for the US, it should be considered that by caving in to Castenada, Fox is looking for PRD assistance in getting his agenda(energy sector reforms) thru the PRI controlled Congress.
I don't believe she sill need to, I expect Arizona congressman elect Raul Grijalva to start a Congressional Hispanic Caucus. This guy makes Maxine look conservative.
Just incase you didn't know, Fox doesn't have the authority to appropriate money.
Fox isn't a very bright man ---the PRD is gaining influence, if Fox wants PAN to have a chance in the elections, he'd better get to work doing something for his people in their own country ---he's likely to cause PAN to lose future elections to PRD. That seems to be the only party that offers much of anything to the average person ---at least the one that doesn't want to be someone's humble gardener or cleaner of toilets in the US.
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