okie52
6/27/2013, 03:05 PM
Mexico Peeved Over US Border Fence Plan
Thursday, 27 Jun 2013 02:45 PM
By Bill Hoffmann
Officials in Mexico are peeved at plans by the United States to spend tens of billions of dollars for additional fencing and other security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Mexico is convinced that our public policies should be coordinated and should recognize the importance of the border for competitiveness, job creation and the social well-being of both countries," Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade said.
"We are convinced that fences don't unite. They are not the solution to the immigration phenomenon and they don't jibe with a modern and secure border," said the foreign minister in a translation of his Spanish language statement provided by GlobalPost.
"They don't contribute to the development of the competitive region that both countries seek to promote."
Last week, a Senate committee earmarked $46 billion to double the U.S. Border Patrol and to build 700 more miles of anti-immigrant fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The influx of Mexican immigrants has plummeted in recent years with new fencing and the U.S. economic downturn. The U.S. Border Patrol detained about 1.6 million undocumented immigrants in 2000 and just over 260,000 last year, the website says.
The fence has become a key part of the Senate's immigration bill scheduled to be voted on on Thursday. Many Republicans have signalled support for the bill since an amendment including the fence and increased border patrols was accepted.
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Thursday, 27 Jun 2013 02:45 PM
By Bill Hoffmann
Officials in Mexico are peeved at plans by the United States to spend tens of billions of dollars for additional fencing and other security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Mexico is convinced that our public policies should be coordinated and should recognize the importance of the border for competitiveness, job creation and the social well-being of both countries," Mexican Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade said.
"We are convinced that fences don't unite. They are not the solution to the immigration phenomenon and they don't jibe with a modern and secure border," said the foreign minister in a translation of his Spanish language statement provided by GlobalPost.
"They don't contribute to the development of the competitive region that both countries seek to promote."
Last week, a Senate committee earmarked $46 billion to double the U.S. Border Patrol and to build 700 more miles of anti-immigrant fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The influx of Mexican immigrants has plummeted in recent years with new fencing and the U.S. economic downturn. The U.S. Border Patrol detained about 1.6 million undocumented immigrants in 2000 and just over 260,000 last year, the website says.
The fence has become a key part of the Senate's immigration bill scheduled to be voted on on Thursday. Many Republicans have signalled support for the bill since an amendment including the fence and increased border patrols was accepted.
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