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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | November 2005 
Fox Says He Believes U.S. Will Approve Immigration Reforms
 Julie Watson - Associated Press
| | Mexican President Vicente Fox gestures as he speaks to foreign correspondents on the eve of his five year in office anniversary at the Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City, Mexico on Tuesday Nov. 29, 2005. President Vicente Fox expressed renewed hope that Mexico will secure an immigration accord with the United States before he leaves office next year. (AP/Dario Lopez-Mills) |
Mexico City – President Vicente Fox expressed renewed hope Tuesday that Mexico will secure an immigration accord with the United States before he leaves office next year.
"There are initiatives in (the U.S.) Congress that provide solutions to the problem of migration, so we'll keep on having an optimistic, positive ... attitude," said Fox, who met with foreign correspondents in Mexico City.
Fox's comments came despite a tough speech by George W. Bush on the issue Monday in which the U.S. president promised more border enforcement and no amnesty for undocumented migrants.
Bush's speech stressed his support for a temporary guest worker program, but that plan envisions having most workers return home after up to six years working in the United States.
Mexico is pushing for more permanent, legal residence.
Fox said the two neighboring nations need to work out the details of how many Mexicans would be allowed to work legally in the United States and in what sectors of the U.S. economy.
"The best thing that can happen to both our countries is to have an orderly flow, a controlled flow, of migration to the United States," Fox said, adding that Mexicans "contribute enormously to the U.S. economy, to U.S. competitiveness."
Fox said his government will continue to insist on the protection of the rights of Mexicans working abroad, but he backed off Mexico's traditional opposition to U.S. plans to build a wall along the entire border.
"It's their territory," he said. "They can do what they want."
Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, along with Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, have proposed giving illegal immigrants already in the United States visas for up to six years. After that, they must either leave the United States or apply for lawful permanent residency.
Fox said the McCain-Kennedy proposal is moving in the right direction.
When Fox took office in 2000, he touted a U.S.-Mexico immigration accord as a top priority of his government, but the idea was sidelined after the Sept. 11 attacks focused U.S. attention on border security.
On the Net: www.presidencia.gob.mx/en/ |
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