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 Editorials | Opinions | April 2006 
Media Ignore Mexican Gov’t Brutality of Central American Immigrants
 Jim Kouri - CPP
| | The hands of Central American migrants and those of Mexicans passing them food meet as a train passes through Fortin de las Flores, Mexico. The simple generosity of the poor residents along the tracks through Vera Cruz state is legendary among train-riding stowaways. (LATimes) |
If the news media were truly unbiased in their reportage of Mexican illegal immigration and told the whole story, Americans would be shocked at the degree of Presidente Vicente Fox’s hypocrisy.
For instance, in a recent press release the Mexican government slammed Georgia’s new illegal immigration law saying “it a half-measure that discriminates against Mexicans.”
Ruben Aguilar, spokesman for President Vicente Fox, told reporters Tuesday morning that implementing parts of the Georgia law could result in “acts of discrimination” against Mexicans living in Georgia.
It’s the position of [Fox] that the half-measures in this law are insufficient to resolve …
the complex phenomenon of immigration between Mexico and the United States,” Aguilar said.
However, Fox and his government appear to be unwilling to acknowledge their own hypocisy in dealing with illegal immigrants who enter Mexico from Central American countries. Considered felons by the Mexican government, these immigrants fear detention, rape and robbery. Police and soldiers hunt them down at railroads, bus stations and fleabag hotels. Sometimes they are deported; more often officers beat them and simply take their money and possessions.
Besides the news media’s overall silence on illegal immigrants being terrorized, robbed and killed by Mexican authorities, the Bush Administration and US lawmakers are equally silent. They allow Fox and his flunkies to denigrate and scold Americans who call for tougher border security and a sane immigration policy while the blood of Central Americans who’ve entered or attempted to enter Mexico across its southern border stains their own hands.
While illegal immigrants in the United States have held huge rallies in recent weeks, the thousands and thousands of undocumented Central Americans in Mexico endure their inhumane treatment in silent fear. In fact, Mexico’s constitution prohibits non-citizens from participating in protests or other public demonstrations against the Mexican government.
And while President Fox demands humane treatment for his countrymen who break US immigration laws to enter and remain in the US, Mexico provides few if any protections for its own illegal immigrant population.
The level of police brutality Central American illegal immigrants endure in Mexico was apparent Monday, when a police raid near a rail yard outside Mexico City ended in the death of an innocent man. Mexican cops shot and killed a local man, because the poor soul’s appearance made officers think he was a immigrant.
According to the Washington Times, undocumented Central Americans complain much more about how they are treated by Mexican officials than about authorities on the US side of the border, where aliens may resent being caught but often praise the professionalism of the agents scouring the desert for their trail.
If an immigrant is carrying any money, Mexican police officers of soldiers take it from the hapless illegal immigrant. And it’s not just local cops: Federal and state police officers are equally corrupt and brutal. There is no such thing as a sanctuary city in Mexico. And the illegal immigrants are lucky if the are confronted by police officers; the soldiers are far worse in their treatment of these foreigners.
While most countries including the United States have some police corruption, the level of corruption in Mexico is shocking. To many, the only difference between Mexican organized crime gangs and the police is that the cops wear uniforms and badges.
While the Bush Administration praises Mexican cooperation with fighting a war on drugs, most law enforcement commanders know better. The Mexican government has been bought and sold by the drug gangs. The only time there is a crackdown on a drug gang is when a rival drug gang “requests” police action in order to eliminate their competition.
Mexico’s President Vicente Fox has called US residents’, who live along the US-Mexico border, plans to build a fence along their properties “shameful”. What’s shameful, Mr. Presidente, is your hypocrisy, lies and corruption.
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com. He’s also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He’s appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri’s own website is located at http://jimkouri.us |
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