Monday, January 16, 2006
Are illegal immigrants criminals or heroes?
Mexico and the United States
Shots across the border
Jan 12th 2006 MEXICO CITY
From The Economist
print edition
Plans for a border fence spark anger among Mexicans
COUNTRIES that claim to be the best of friends do not normally shoot across their mutual frontier. But on December 30th, an agent of the United States Border Patrol shot dead an 18-year-old Mexican as he tried to cross the border near San Diego. The patrol says the shooting was in self-defence, and that the dead man was a coyote, or people-smuggler. Vicente Fox, Mexico's president, made a diplomatic protest, and called for an investigation into the shooting. At the other end of the border, in Texas, Border Patrol agents were reportedly shot at from inside Mexico.
These incidents could hardly have come at a worse time. On December 16th, the United States House of Representatives passed by 239 to 182 votes a bill sponsored by James Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Wisconsin. This would make illegal immigration a felony, create a crime of employing or aiding undocumented migrants, and order “physical infrastructure enhancements” (ie, a fence) along more than a third of the 3,100 kilometre (2,000 mile) border.
The Sensenbrenner bill stands little chance of passing in the Senate. It is not backed by the Bush administration, which has campaigned for tougher enforcement to be combined with a guest-worker programme. This would help give legal status to some of the 10m or so migrants who are in the United States illegally (perhaps 60% of whom are Mexicans).
Nevertheless, the Sensenbrenner bill has caused outrage south of the border. Mr Fox called it shameful. He said migrants were “heroes”, who will in any event find ways to cross the border. Luis Derbez, his foreign minister, called the bill “stupid” and “underhand”.
for full article: http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5389611
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Ok... how in the heck does the US expect to control its borders when the President of Mexico calls illegal immigrants "heroes"???
I don't pretend to know all the answers, but in this situation I think the US is well within its rights to protect itself from illegal migrants. A nation has its own sovereignty, and can apply its own entry requirements to those seeking to travel there. I think Mexico's out of line here, but I understand the nature of self-interest, and since Mexico has an estimated 6 million illegal workers potentially earning dollars and shipping them back home, I can see why they wouldn't want any sort of crackdown on the practice.
This is a losing battle for the US. There's no way you can erect a wall long enough, and tall enough, to keep these Mexicans out. Not if it means a chance at a better life for them and their families. Blood, after all, is thicker than a visa regulation.
Shots across the border
Jan 12th 2006 MEXICO CITY
From The Economist
print edition
Plans for a border fence spark anger among Mexicans
COUNTRIES that claim to be the best of friends do not normally shoot across their mutual frontier. But on December 30th, an agent of the United States Border Patrol shot dead an 18-year-old Mexican as he tried to cross the border near San Diego. The patrol says the shooting was in self-defence, and that the dead man was a coyote, or people-smuggler. Vicente Fox, Mexico's president, made a diplomatic protest, and called for an investigation into the shooting. At the other end of the border, in Texas, Border Patrol agents were reportedly shot at from inside Mexico.
These incidents could hardly have come at a worse time. On December 16th, the United States House of Representatives passed by 239 to 182 votes a bill sponsored by James Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Wisconsin. This would make illegal immigration a felony, create a crime of employing or aiding undocumented migrants, and order “physical infrastructure enhancements” (ie, a fence) along more than a third of the 3,100 kilometre (2,000 mile) border.
The Sensenbrenner bill stands little chance of passing in the Senate. It is not backed by the Bush administration, which has campaigned for tougher enforcement to be combined with a guest-worker programme. This would help give legal status to some of the 10m or so migrants who are in the United States illegally (perhaps 60% of whom are Mexicans).
Nevertheless, the Sensenbrenner bill has caused outrage south of the border. Mr Fox called it shameful. He said migrants were “heroes”, who will in any event find ways to cross the border. Luis Derbez, his foreign minister, called the bill “stupid” and “underhand”.
for full article: http://www.economist.com/world/la/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5389611
* * * * *
Ok... how in the heck does the US expect to control its borders when the President of Mexico calls illegal immigrants "heroes"???
I don't pretend to know all the answers, but in this situation I think the US is well within its rights to protect itself from illegal migrants. A nation has its own sovereignty, and can apply its own entry requirements to those seeking to travel there. I think Mexico's out of line here, but I understand the nature of self-interest, and since Mexico has an estimated 6 million illegal workers potentially earning dollars and shipping them back home, I can see why they wouldn't want any sort of crackdown on the practice.
This is a losing battle for the US. There's no way you can erect a wall long enough, and tall enough, to keep these Mexicans out. Not if it means a chance at a better life for them and their families. Blood, after all, is thicker than a visa regulation.
