Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Mexico

Over the course of President Obama's tenure in office, one of the prevailing criticisms of his administration has been that's he's attempting to make us more like Europe.  On the issue of immigration, however, I'd like to see him mirror Mexico.  Mexican President Felipe Calderon has been an outspoken critic of the Arizona law, impugning it as "the criminalization of migration" which "far from contribut[es] to collaboration and cooperation between Mexico and the state of Arizona."  While no one solicited his opinion, his intrusion raises an interesting contrast between Mexico and the United States.  Ironically, Mexico's laws on immigration and their enforcement thereof, stand in sharp contrast to that of the United States.  Mexico ensures that its immigrants are legal, not burdensome, have the means to sustain themselves financially, are of upstanding moral character, and can contribute to the general good of society:

·  Foreigners are admitted into Mexico “according to their possibilities of contributing to national progress.” (Article 32)

·  Immigration officials must “ensure” that “immigrants will be useful elements for the country and that they have the necessary funds for their sustenance” and for their dependents. (Article 34)

·  Foreigners may be barred from the country if their presence upsets “the equilibrium of the national demographics,” when foreigners are deemed detrimental to “economic or national interests,” when they do not behave like good citizens in their own country, when they have broken Mexican laws, and when “they are not found to be physically or mentally healthy.” (Article 37)

·  The secretary of Governance may “suspend or prohibit the admission of foreigners when he determines it to be in the national interest.” (Article 38)

·  Federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with federal immigration authorities upon request, i.e., to assist in the arrests of illegal immigrants. (Article 73)

·  A National Population Registry keeps track of “every single individual who comprises the population of the country,” and verifies each individual’s identity. (Articles 85 and 86)

·  A national Catalog of Foreigners tracks foreign tourists and immigrants (Article 87), and assigns each individual with a unique tracking number (Article 91).Foreigners with fake papers, or who enter the country under false pretenses, may be imprisoned:

·  Foreigners with fake immigration papers may be fined or imprisoned. (Article 116)

·  Foreigners who sign government documents “with a signature that is false or different from that which he normally uses” are subject to fine and imprisonment. (Article 116)

·  Foreigners who fail to obey the rules will be fined, deported, and/or imprisoned as felons:

·  Foreigners who fail to obey a deportation order are to be punished. (Article 117)

·  Foreigners who are deported from Mexico and attempt to re-enter the country without authorization can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. (Article 118)

·  Foreigners who violate the terms of their visa may be sentenced to up to six years in prison (Articles 119, 120 and 121). Foreigners who misrepresent the terms of their visa while in Mexico — such as working without a permit — can also be imprisoned.Under Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony.

·  “A penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of three hundred to five thousand pesos will be imposed on the foreigner who enters the country illegally.” (Article 123)

·  Foreigners with legal immigration problems may be deported from Mexico instead of being imprisoned. (Article 125) 

·  Foreigners who “attempt against national sovereignty or security” will be deported. (Article 126)Mexicans who help illegal aliens enter the country are themselves considered criminals under the law.

·  A Mexican who marries a foreigner with the sole objective of helping the foreigner live in the country is subject to up to five years in prison. (Article 127)

·  Shipping and airline companies that bring undocumented foreigners into Mexico will be fined. (Article 132)

These principles are exactly what our immigration policies for legal immigrants are designed to do, except no one in Washington desires to enforce them, whether for far-left Utopian ideals or for fear of offending the legal Hispanic voting block.  Immigrants to Mexico who violate their visa statuses or the terms of their entries into the country do not simply face the proverbial slap on the wrist; they are fined, deported, and often imprisoned.  Given Mexico's stellar record on human rights, I know which fate I'd rather face.  How about you?  It's clear that Mexico's immigration laws are designed to protect their national interests, and it's time that the Obama administration - something on which their predecessors also failed the American people - understands that both protecting and enforcing our borders will determine the fate of our nation and the continued war on terror, d.b.a. the "overseas contingency operation."

~Elf