The Washington Times
The Mexican government is lobbying U.S. lawmakers and civic leaders for amnesty or guest-worker status for millions of illegal aliens now in the United States, working through a coalition of U.S.-based immigration rights associations, Mexican-American organizations and grass-roots Hispanic groups.
This growing political alliance, which also seeks expanded education and health care benefits for Mexican nationals in this country, along with additional programs for labor, community development and access to services, is led by the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, also known as the Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior.
Known by the Spanish acronym IME, the institute was created by presidential decree and reports to a counsel of Mexican government officials headed by President Vicente Fox as a branch of Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has called U.S. immigration reform a major priority, recommending policy changes that respect "the needs and rights" of Mexican nationals living and working in this country.
Mr. Fox will meet tomorrow and Saturday with President Bush in Crawford, Texas, where immigration issues will be among several topics on the agenda. In January, Mr. Bush proposed a guest-worker program that could give legal status to millions of illegal aliens, mostly Mexican nationals, who now hold jobs in the United States.