"The position of Mexico and the other countries is that walls will not make a difference in terms of the solution to the migration problem," said Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez.
[. . .]
Guatemalan Foreign Minister Jorge Briz said major immigration reform in the United States was the only way to stop the wave of people heading northward.
"All of us are looking for a comprehensive migratory regulation so that millions of Latin Americans can continue working in and supporting the United States economy," Briz said.
[. . .]
Honduran Foreign Minister Milton Jimenez said he expected several South American and Caribbean countries to join Mexico and the Central Americans in issuing a joint declaration on the matter soon.
In December, the U.S. House approved a bill to build a fence about twice as long as the one approved by the Senate. The House plan sparked a wave of criticism from Latin American leaders, with Mexican President Vicente Fox comparing such a barrier to the Berlin Wall.
Fox [the Mexican President] reiterated his criticisms on Thursday.
"Building walls, constructing barriers on the border does not offer an efficient solution in a relationship of friends, neighbors and partners," Fox said in the border city of Tijuana. "We will go on defending the rights of our countrymen without rest or respite. With passion we will demand the full respect of their human rights."
The Associated Press reports Mexicans say it will take more than a fence to keep them out of the United States:
"We'll go under it, we'll go over it, we'll go through the air, the sea or the earth, but they're never going to stop us from crossing," said Jesus Santana, a Tijuana truck driver who was caught trying to cross and deported.
This is a common attitude among deportees. Martin Doriane, who has surveyed returning migrants for the last four years, said at least 95 percent of migrants caught and deported say they'll try again. A main reason is because they've sold everything they own in Mexico to pay to be smuggled in to the U.S.:
"They say, 'I had a roof and a frying pan in Mexico, but I sold both to come north, and went into debt, so what do I have to return to?'" Doraine said.
As long as most Mexicans accept illegal immigration as a fact of life they can't imagine changing, we will need to improve efforts to control the border. I wish we didn't need a barrier along the Mexican border. It looks bad. It's easily stigmatized as racist. Moreover, a barrier works. The construction of about 10 miles of steel and concrete barriers up to 15 feet high in San Diego has reduced illegal crossings in that sector by about 95 percent since 1992. Perhaps the illegal just relocate there crossing points, but as they have fewer options the Border Patrol's job becomes more feasible.
The wall should be substantial and effective, like Israel's 25 foot high wall, not one the illegal aliens have no problem crossing.
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Comments: 15
OK I have left the door open for all you Billy Baldwins out there...
of a society inept in and failing in the most
fundamental skills of controlling the
impulses of humanity.
I am not referring to Mexico, the
sense of embarassment rightly
should extend to their elected
officials as well as our own.
Maybe we could just talk about
that wall until we can get Bush
out of there.
About our southern nation neighbors. They just want to make certain that their people can run north instead of rebelling at home. I don't understand the willingness to risk coming here instead of fighting for their rights at home, especially when once here the demand is to remain loyal to their nation of origin.
Why aren't our news organizations telling the story of how awful things are in these nations, the extreme violence used to keep their people poor and uneducated, contrasted with photos of the walled and armed compounds the rich live in.
ps
Geat post Yankee
pipeline, but will respond to your encouraging words
by trying do develop one. The theme I am working
with that comes the closest is the utter lack of
ability to compromise on the part of our leaders.
This has been an ongoing complaint of Washington
observers and the headline would be something like
"Whatever happened to the Great American Compromise?"
which was the pride of our system at one time but
disappeared, as best as I can tell, after WW One.
I have just about finished with the "Inside the Criminal Mind"
series.
It isn't hard to do
nothing to kill or die for
and no religion, too.....
Imagine all the people living life in peace.
you may say I'm a dreamer
but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one"
J Lennon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The pay rate in the US is approximately 800% more than the pay in Mexico; Would you work in a US business operating in Mexico or come here to support your family?
I along w/. others encourage you to contribute an article. I never really understood the mentality of blame America 1st Maybe you can help shed some light on this.
I agree with you...it seems that your argument and questions are way to logical for anyone to even give you the courtesy of a response.
I apologize for them.
I am an Immigrant. A proud American that now lives in Italy. I needed to jump some very high hoops to get permission to stay and have to ask permission to remain every year, just the way it should be.
B.