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  • HL_WesternCarolinian_2002-12-04_Vol67_No17_07

ewsma azine news_immigration Much Left Unresolved in Mexico-US, Talks By Letta Tayler I Newsday MEXICO CITY—Overshadowed by the repercussions of Sept. 1 1, the latest round of attempts by Mexico and the United States to improve cross-border relations ended with both sides leaving almost empty-handed Tuesday. Despite flowery prose about being great friends and good neighbors, cabinet ministers from the two countries holding an annual meeting here failed to reach an agreement on legalizing about 3.5 million undocumented Mexicans in the United States, a pact Mexico desperately wants. Secretary of State Colin Powell and the rest of the U.S. delegation, meanwhile, walked away without pledges that Mexico will soon deliver nearly half a trillion gallons of water from the Rio Grande that it should supply to Texas under a 1944 treaty. The tone was set Tuesday morning, when President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox addressed the U.S.-Mexico Binational Commission. Fox made an impassioned appeal for migration reform, saying it was "indispensable" that Bush quickly forge an accord for the "safe, orderly and legal" passage of Mexican workers across the border to fill jobs that U.S. citizens don't want. The United States must "clearly distinguish between those who arrive in that country to work and those who represent a threat," Fox said in a reference to post-Sept. 1 1 terrorism fears. But Bush, addressing the group in a videotaped message, offered no hope that such an accord was imminent, saying only that the United States would work toward an immigration policy to treat Mexicans "with respect and dignity. " With an average of one Mexican dying every day trying to sneak into the United States, migration reform has become a major sticking point between Bush and Fox, who began their respective administrations nearly two years ago by calling the issue a top priority. An apologetic Powell tried to make the best of the chill. "We are just as committed today as we were then," Powell said of migration reform during a news conference closing the forum. But, he conceded, "there is no timeline," apart from cabinet ministers agreeing to draft a wish-list of migration proposals in the next year and to try to pass the least controversial ones first. "We have to be realistic about the changes that have occurred in the last 14 months," Powell said. Despite Powell's pleas, Mexico was equally noncommittal about paying its water debt to Texas farmers, who stand to lose millions of acres of crops within weeks if not bailed out. Mexico argues it needs the water just as desperately. Mexican officials also made it clear they are peeved with the United States for increasing its agricultural subsidies to a high of $180 billion during the next decade starting next year, when tariffs on Mexican imports of a host of U.S. farm goods are due to expire under the North American Free Trade Agreement. The double whammy will devastate Mexican farmers and spur more of them to illegally enter the United States, said Fox, who plans to give Mexican farms $10 billion in aid to combat the subsidies and possibly slap new tariffs on U.S. pork and poultry. In a briefing in Mexico City Monday, U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary J.B. Penn made it clear the United States had no intention of retaining the tariffs or immediately altering its subsidy program. But Penn also said agribusinesses want increased guest-worker programs for Mexicans on U.S. farms, indicating that may be one lone prospect for protecting undocumented migrants. The two countries fared better on more modest proposals, sealing a handful of initiatives for cooperation along their 2,000-mile border, including on pollution control and a $25 million U.S.-funded plan to make legal crossings swifter and safer. 0 2002 Distributed by the Los Angeles Times- Washington Pokt News Service Let us know what you think. Send your comments to us; wc@wcunedu national news dec. 4, 2002 -jan. 7, 2003 opinion_immigration Is American citizenship worthless? Well; that the that are. currently -in.„thé. UIS. should-be grantéd sanctuary and yau would agree -that; citizenship is Bur; abode Chose illegal, aliens; many used bogus or stolen Social Security xo service induStry .here• states} should they bé giv:enexceptions•: Should '{undocumented') country forfiv;e, years in -the'hadow economy for the.låst two of the five:years and check, •belegaliiétL possible newÉlégisqatiOn propdsesi First, of questions. Are we doing;these workers any: favors, and who&eally benefit' from their cheap labor?' Not •to face that they cost: US; •axpayers:tens ofmilliOns of dollars on medical: and social programs for their familiess each yean Think about this; you misrepresentyour credentials when getting anew job—there is no question you would be fired immediately and when> or ifs the lie was uncovered, (Arguably, onlyjobs in: politics allow for:such dishonest antics:) Even if thé.±illegal alien is •leading productive life, they are notilegali subscribers to •our Social: Sécu:ritYT01eS and do not: pay payroll •taxes. Who do you. •think pays for the education and healthcare of their children? -If you area USOtaxpayersdook in ;the mirror. for: the-answeit What if you used a fake Social Security number: to get a credit card}. not unlike an illegal alien using a stolen Social Security number to get a job? Unless you: copped. a plea with your favorite D. you would go .to jail, Thereis no question that the laws for < American.citizen$'> are;very much againstesuch deceitful practices. In some. cases, matidåtory sentences exist for illegal use Of anotheßs• personal -information. Just: beforeSeptemberi'13Ly 2001, Mexican President Vicente Fox. began negotiating. With the White House for the amnesty of about two million Mexicansillegally» in the: USA at Understandably, the idea was. "put on a back burner" after the 9/11: rerroriscs attacks; As late as this past October; Fox -to be seeking asylum for 3.5 million undocumented Mexican workers. Thanks to the October 2002: passageofthe •Earned Legalization? legislation passed and •praised by Democraticxleaders, last week the administration was hitting the amnesty trail,: News of;the. possible alien amnesty for gundocumented" Mexicans showed nationally in princand on television}over. the past. weekend. The notion that this administration could be trying once again to force the amnesty ofmillions of Mexican workers down our throats is OutragéöUSk Lei us not forget. that nore than 100,000 Iraqi: and Middle Easterners are: presently here illegally, Within. Ihe past month, it wasreported that at least a thousand Iraqis were;smuggled .into this country Via •the Mexican border, No doubt these Middle Eastern law breakers entered Texas through the. Rio Grande, EJ Paso checkpoints/ the same way those;illegal aliens, considered for negotiation by Fox; got here.. But} beyond amnesty being a bad idea, the fact remains that such policies diminish ourlegal process and put American •lives in harm*s Ways To reward illegal actions withfthe same. benefits provided forilegal ones is a slap. in the •very American citizen and legitimate immigrant. Furthermore, these $ imports" *lower our. •wages and force. average pay the bills for their children's healthcare. and education; Are. our under-funded}, schools and social. programs not hurting .enough? How can we. afford to let people work in this country without. fulfilling their obligations to the samaegal employment. system as law-abiding, tax-paying American citizens? Those persons •in this country that are. here illegally. should bedeported back to their country: Of origiii, They should be forced to go through the samelegal channels and checkpoints as everyone else, HOW •aluable is becomingamAmerican citizens legally; when those breaking the;immigration laws are rewarded with citizenry. without. any. penalty? This administration cannot continue. to chastise 'the •INS, as it has in the recent past; for their apparent ineffectiveness when they support policies that diminish their authority. It is odd that this administration would be so keen on such apparently politically motivated willb especially in Che .face Ofour world-wide war on terror, Besides; immigrants that; forgo the naturalization process. are much .lessli:kely to understand our ideals or pledge to. be :loyraL?? law-abiding citizens (an especially important message in. the new age ofglobal terrorism): If the Bush administration. chooses to grant Fox's wishes for amnesty of+ihe 345: million undocumented Mexican workers, it will send a cleat will be unmistakable what: they think ofthe values of:legal immigration and Americancitizen:rye Such every citizen :that •has built this nation (investedfor retirement in the Social Security Trust Fund and 401k) and made us: grate—your citizenship really means nothing Instead of acting with a acleat; moral consciencep as this administration likes@ espouse so frequently that it:does; they *Rill flagrantly abandoning theii commitmentto preserve and defend out; 'laws and Constitution. This administration will be no. better chan the. previous. administration in keeping Ameriean)obs in the handsoflegals tax-paying Americans; Who do; believe it or not Mt President} deserve their right to pursue theAmerican dream, We should also not forget the public wishes Ofthé Mexican administration before: the Fox regime that encouraged the. migration Of its citizens into the southern U.S. in areas Once controlled by Mexico, % It is • our obligation to defend our boiders from immigration: -invasions and our national duty*o control the gentle balance ofståtes' populations. Those people wishing to become ßAmericans» should not; be. pueoff by our Why should becomingn US. citizen be any less difficult than getting a. drivers license? In any case%$Jrou pick up a. boole you study; you take a test—pass the test and you get a license citizenryz (You can fail many times before pass, kut*ifyou want either badly•nough, you will eventually make it happen.) NO onetin their Tight mind would deny that knowledge oftcaffie laws: makes one a better driver; Nor would onedispuie that the naturalization process better equips immigrants to be better citizens„ The naturalization. process provides immigrants with appropriate history customs; and laws. ensures that out basic values and principles of democracy and freedom are shared with the potential new citizene Sorry Mr. Fox, it is nothing personal, but those 3.5 million "undocumented" Mexican workers. should only be rewarded With a one-way bus: ticket back to Mexico, not with citizenship.% •While theseillegal aliens may not be thegpical terrorists identified in our war onlterrorismi,t? they do undermine ouf economic. .Security by stealing jobs and lowering •wages. Like our Commander-in-Chief says; "eitheryou$re with us— ore you?re. against us." Soy what's. it going to be Mr. President? Jobs. for. illegal workers jobs for legal American citinns? Retire this ridiculous Gearnedlegalizationt' legislation proposed by Rep. GephardQ, or come 2004, the voters mighgjust retire you. But don'elet. that bother you' You'd still be. loved in Mexicc»

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

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  • Western Carolina University
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  • Date original: 2002-12-04
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  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
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  • Western Carolina University
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  • HL_WesternCarolinian_2002-12-04_Vol67_No17