October 03, 2007

Mexican consuls to increase push for amnesty (propaganda, anti-defamation)

From this:

The Mexican government is giving its consulates in the U.S. wide latitude to ramp up a campaign to toughen their defense of immigrants and plans to give them more resources as well, officials familiar with the strategy said.

...Among the actions under discussion are the creation of an anti-defamation league similar to that focused on protecting Jews; budget increases for some of the 47 consulates, especially in regions such as North Texas, where Mexican migration has been swift and plentiful; and a media campaign aimed at counteracting groups opposed to illegal immigration and sometimes legal immigration.

..."Our fight is no longer inside the Beltway," said one senior Mexican official, who agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity. "We have been forced to change our strategy."

...Nearly two dozen U.S.-based immigrant leaders, including North Texans, flew to Mexico City recently [around Sept. 15] to meet with senior officials of the Foreign Ministry and the Interior Ministry to discuss the strategy. The Foreign Ministry and its Institute for Mexicans Abroad, or IME, is carrying out the government's plan.

Mario Ramirez, a Dallas businessman and Mexican immigrant who attended the meeting, said he knows his loyalty to the U.S., as a naturalized citizen, will be questioned.

As indeed it should be.

Note that those linked to the IME were also involved in organizing the big Chicago immigration marches, and one IME member is even an Illinois state senator (Martin Sandoval).

It would be nice to get a full list of those attending the MC meeting; for now, this is the only other one mentioned:

Primitivo Rodriguez, a Mexico City resident ... coordinator of the Coalition for the Political Rights of Mexicans Abroad, which has members in Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston.

Posted to Immigration_consul at October 3, 2007 09:59 PM