"Mexico plans to step up immigration-policy pressure in 2005"

Bring it on:

Mexican President Vicente Fox's renewed efforts to lobby for change in U.S. immigration policy may hurt his cause more than help it and could galvanize opposition in a divided American Congress, senior U.S. officials said.

The Mexican government is planning a multipronged effort in the United States on behalf of the millions of Mexicans working without proper documentation [i.e., illegal aliens]. Targets would include agricultural groups and Latino organizations...

...One senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Mexico should "work with us and remember that this is a domestic issue. It's not a Mexico-specific bill. ... If it's seen as a unilateral demand from the Mexican side, I think there will be plenty of people, particularly on the Hill, who will not receive that particularly well."

...A Mexican official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the sensitivities involved and said, "Mexico will take very careful steps" in its lobbying efforts. "We recognize that this is a very delicate matter."

Mexican officials say they plan to spend "hundreds of thousands" of dollars to promote the issue through its 47 Mexican consulates in the United States, focusing on regions that government officials consider crucial to success.

Mexico plans to hire lobbyists and to work closely with leading U.S. think tanks and universities to promote its national interests, the Mexican official said...

...The official said Mexico would launch the lobbying effort early next year, perhaps coinciding with the planned visit of Fox to Washington in late February or March...

...The migration issue ignites passion, especially among anti-immigration groups. [see the following note]

"Mexico's blatant foreign interference in U.S. domestic affairs," is the issue, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington. The group favors reduced immigration. [but, the preceding paragraph implied they were "anti-immigration"]

"The Mexican consulates have gone from promoting trade and travel to Mexico to actively involving themselves in U.S. domestic affairs ... and the Bush administration has been irresponsible for not telling Mexico in a friendly but clear way that this is not acceptable," Krikorian said...

This is just more of the same, except now they're being completely open about what they intend to do. So, when we see a race group, university, or think tank supporting Mexico's position, we can ask whether they're being paid to do so.

On a minor note, you might want to contact grodrigue@dallasnews.com about the use of the euphemism for illegal aliens and the "anti-immigration" slam in the article.

Immigration2004 · Tue, 12/21/2004 - 13:09 · · Importance: 1