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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | May 2006 
Fox Calls Bush about Worries Over Border Plan
 Ioan Grillo - Associated Press
| | A U.S. Border Patrol agent outside Laredo, Texas. President Bush is expected to call for thousands of National Guard troops along the U.S.-Mexico border to help curtail illegal immigration as debate over the divisive issue heats up. (Reuters/Rick Wilking) |
Mexico City – Mexican President Vicente Fox telephoned President Bush on Sunday to express his concern about what he called the possibility of a “militarized” border between the two nations.
According to Fox's office, Bush told his Mexican counterpart he was considering sending the National Guard to the border but said this did not constitute a militarization.
Bush “is analyzing the administrative and logistical support of part of the National Guard, not the Army, to help police on the border,” Fox's office said.
Bush is expected to make a speech on how the United States should deal with border security and illegal immigrants already in the United States on Monday night.
A White House official told The Associated Press on Sunday that Bush will call for thousands of National Guard troops to be deployed along the Mexico border in support of patrols aimed at keeping out illegal immigrants.
White House aides worked into the night Sunday to iron out details of the proposal and allay concerns among lawmakers that using troops to man the border would further burden an overextended military.
The White House official said Bush would propose using troops as a stopgap while the Border Patrol builds up its resources. The troops would play a supportive role to Border Patrol agents, who would maintain primary responsibility for physically guarding the border.
The official spoke on a condition of anonymity before Bush's expected address on the topic on Monday. The official would not say how many troops Bush wanted to use, except that it would be in the thousands but less than an estimate of as many as 10,000 being discussed at the Pentagon.
Bush is considering the National Guard plan as he seeks support from conservatives in Congress for his immigration bill.
The president wants to allow foreigners to get temporary work permits to enter and work in the United States, but many conservatives want a tougher approach on illegal immigrants.
The Mexican news release said Bush and Fox agreed that a comprehensive immigration reform is needed in the United States.
“In the conversation, President Bush reiterated his conviction that the migration issue can only be resolved with an integral and comprehensive reform,” the release said.
Fox has lobbied incessantly for the U.S. government to legalize some of the 11 million undocumented migrants living in the United States, about half of whom are Mexicans.
Associated Press writer Nedra Pickler contributed to this report from Washington. |
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