The Washington Times Op-Ed
In Washington, Mexican officials say all the right things about illegal immigration: that only a cooperative approach will work, that any solution must meet the needs of both countries and that Mexico respects U.S. sovereignty. But then their superiors back home contradict those sentiments in word and deed.
The latest example is an apparent campaign to bring down Arizona's new Proposition 200 illegal-immigration law — a set of measures to limit distribution of public benefits to illegals — even if it means going to international courts. In December, Mexico's Foreign Ministry announced a "complete rejection" of Prop. 200.
Now, its chief is threatening to move to non-U.S. tribunals if necessary, and is ratcheting up the pressure via the airwaves. As Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said last week in an interview on W Radio, all means will be used to defeat Prop. 200. He plans to "first us[e] the legal capacities of the United States itself and ... if that does not work, [bring] it to international tribunals."
Posted by Suzanne at January 31, 2005