Mexico's New President Targets US Immigration Policy
The International Coalition of Mexicans Abroad was founded this past
February with a mission to defend the social, economic and political rights of Mexicans
living in the USA. The organization supports Mexico's president-elect Vicente Fox, who
plans to push for an open market and borders between the USA and Mexico.
The group maintains that Mexicans live in fear and are unproductive because they cannot
enjoy most of the benefits that US citizens do, despite contributing heavily to the
economy and the workforce.
Fox's strong desire to help Mexicans in the US may be, at least in part, due to the fact
that Mexico's constitution changed a few years ago, allowing Mexicans living abroad to
vote in presidential elections. Nevertheless, the campaign is a strong one.
Fox's long-term vision is one where Mexicans can move freely across the border. With the
enormous wage difference between the two countries, however, the arrangement would not
likely be mutually beneficial, and is probably not in the stars anytime soon. Fox would
settle, in the meantime, for a significant increase in temporary visa availability for
Mexican workers. If granted, Mexico would reciprocate with a greater enforcement against
the illegal immigration of Mexicans into the US.
This deal is somewhat tempting because of the less than successful border enforcement
efforts in recent times. Millions are spent each year, and yet so many illegals get
through that vigilante ranchers at the border have begun to tackle the problem, with
serious political results. Fox reasons that his people will enter either way, and
that giving a greater number of them legal status would provide for progress.
In keeping with a growing interest in the Hispanic vote, both Bush and Gore will meet with
the president-elect, to toss the ideas around. Who knows, maybe someday there will be a
North American union, akin to the one in Europe. Never say never.
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