Calderon Criticizes Arizona Immigration Law

The Mexican president also asked Congress for help stemming the illegal flow of weapons over the border

By Caitlin Huey-Burns

May 20, 2010 RSS Feed Print

Mexican President Felipe Calderon asked Congress to stop the exchange of lethal weapons and narcotics at the U.S.-Mexican border and expressed his disapproval of the Arizona immigration law.   
 
"Let us work together to end this lethal trade," said Calderon, urging members of Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban. The 1994 ban that made it illegal to own or possess a semi-automatic riffle expired in 2004. U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a New York Democrat, introduced a bill in 2007 to reinstate the ban, but it has yet to make it out of a House subcommittee. Calderon said the flow of weapons from the United States into Mexico has contributed to an increase in gang violence in areas around the border. 
 
Calderon acknowledged a need for comprehensive immigration reform in the United States but criticized the controversial Arizona law that would require illegal immigrants to carry their registration papers at all times. "It is a law that not only ignores the reality¬but also introduces a terrible idea of racial profiling," said Calderon. "I agree with President to say the new law carries a great amount of risk to core values." 
 
Calderon said that illegal immigration is a serious problem for Mexico. "My government does not favor the breaking of the rules," he said. "I fully respect the right of any country to enact and enforce its own laws." 
 
He encouraged members of Congress to  "fix a broken and inefficient system" and suggested the United States and Mexico work together to create more jobs for Mexicans in their home country to discourage migration.  
 
Calderon referred to Mexico more than once as a country "undergoing deep transformations." He pointed to job growth and the upcoming Cancún climate change talks as evidence of Mexico's determination to be a competitive nation. "Mexico will one day be the country where [Mexicans] find the opportunities they [now] look for outside the country," he said.  
 
Calderon's address to Congress today concludes his two-day stay in Washington. 
 

Tags:
Carolyn McCarthy,
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1ST AND 2ND amendment rights should be absolute. What can be changed are laws. Rights granted by the Constitution are "inalienable." Look it up. The US has the money and resources (human and otherwise) to build a wall to stop the illegal influx of aliens. The 17th amendment was passed to ensure that blacks born in the US were citizens, NOT for any illegal to come here and give birth then go home and collect SSI, welfare, etc., and get free medical, insurance and so on. A law should be passed that reinforces the focus of the 17th amendment and stipulates that only children of legal citizens are Americans at birth, otherwise they are citizens of where their parents are citizens.

President of Mexico and all those flaming liberals that cry that the Arizona law would force immigrants to carry identification are ignorant of US Federal law. The Arizona law mirrors Federal law in that respect and does not require more than is already Federal law.

Ramon of TX 9:42PM June 27, 2010

The Mexican President wants the U.S. to stem the flow of weapons into Mexico. Why diesn't he exercise his duty in protecting his citizens by securing the Mexican side of the Border?

Mexico has no interest in a secured border in either direction. Why didn't our dumbass politicions demand a financial contribution aldong with the labor in erecting the wall? Since the wall is of mutual benefit why not share the resources.

Joe Gambino of KY 11:09PM June 07, 2010

If you think our Mexican immigration policy does not make sense, look further.

The Mex government is a drug cartel. THeir police are another, and the military, another. In fact, it it drug money and the Mexicans in the U.S. sending money home to their families that is keeping the Mexican government afloat.

From the U.S. side, it has long been known that the CIA is making bucks off of the drug trade, and I can't help but believe that there are many palms being crossed in our government.

Why else would we have a national drug policy that does not work; the same policy that many other countries discarded?

You know who is probably the only honest president we ever had? Truman, because he actually lived on his pension when he retired.

Remember Fox and how mad he got at Bush when Bush, kicking and screaming, had to succumb to his electorate? Bush called him 'my good friend' and said 'he is one of us'. Fox claimed he was betrayed.

Keep in mind that the turmoil in Mexico now only started when we got more serious in patrolling the border and building the wall. All those drugs backed up right at the border and the prices dropped and none of the gangs were making a profit.

Ship all Mexicans back. Make it impossible for them to work here by heavily penalizing employers. They will get back on their own. Build that wall, and deep enough so they can't tunnel. Post signs and shoot whoever crosses illegally. That moat is a good idea, too.

Oh, and pass a law that retroactively makes the kids of illegals illegal as well. Make schools and hospitals and prisons gather statistics on the expenses we are incurring because of this problem.

There should be an investigation of civil servants' interaction with drugs and money from the sale of them.

I'm so sick of hearing corrupt politicians on both sides of the border pretending to be on some sham moral ground that only they know the point of. What a bunch of actors!

Oh, and this is not racist to love your country and want jobs for your people. Blacks, whites, and Hispanics who are here legally are all being hurt by this situation. We can no longer carry the burden for the greed of our politicians.

Joan Dalton of AL 9:07AM May 23, 2010

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