What is Mexico's position on illegal immigration?

[auburnblu]

Not their position on illegal immigration of Mexican citizens into the U.S., but what is Mexico's position on citizens of other countries illegally entering and remaining in Mexico?

I thought I read somewhere recently where Mexico detained approximately 250,000 for being in the country illegally in a recent year. Think I saw that stat in connection with some article about Cuban dentists that were being held for some reason.

Does the Mexican government encourage illegal immigration to their own country? Do they actively try to stop it? Are they giving benefits to illegals?

[pitohui]

1. you can't get a job in mexico

really try it, even if you go the legal route you are most likely not going to be able to get a job

now if you want to come and retire and bring a proven income of $1,500 per month (depends on the state where you want to emigrate, i've heard some areas want $2K a month in outside income now) they don't have a problem w. you

but they have NO social safety net and they sure as hell don't want indigents of other countries in their fair land

they have too few jobs for their own, why should they throw open the doors to every bum w. a backpack?

as far as giving benefits to illegals, there are not really any benefits given to their own citizens, so it is not an issue, this is why there is little concern w. checking you out when you enter mexico, they know you're not likely to overstay because you're going to get tired of not eating after awhile

[VirtualChicano]

24. yes you can

your skills were probobly not in demand or your spanish was poor or both. maybe there were other reasons as well.

ive lived and worked in monterrey, nuevo leon, mx, tijuana, b.c.n., mx. guadalajara, jalisco, mx, mexico d.f., and for a short time in guanajuato, mx.

and in all cases there where anglo americans and other foreigners working along side me as well.

mexico does not pay people not to work like they do here. mexico does slap a 95% tax on pemex, cemex etc. profits and subsidizes the basic staples needed to live.

mexico also does not have an income tax that the top 10% of income earners can dodge. they have a sales tax (i.v.a.) that is paid by everyone.

<now if you want to come and retire and bring a proven income of $1,500 per month (depends on the state where you want to emigrate, i've heard some areas want $2K a month in outside income now) they don't have a problem w. you>

the u.s. has the same rules. you cannot be destitute if you expect to gain residence here. in addition, if you bring with you 1 million dollars or invest and employ "x" amount of people you can "buy" your citizenship.

mexico does not sell citizenship like the united states does.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. I have a dumb question

Foreigners with university degrees from their own countries (Philipines, India, etc.) are and have been freely receiving visas to come in and take our jobs away. I have still not heard anyone raising a stink about these professional immigrants, and why they are permitted to take the few jobs left to us.

Why, then, is the focus placed on immigrants from Mexico, who, when they enter, come in to take the jobs that no one wants, including toilet cleaning and fruit picking?

[MADem]

3. It's not a dumb question--it is why there were a half million people

in the street the other day. And it isn't just the valid visa holders who are an issue. For every person who slips over the border and is declared to be violating the law, there are almost as many who come here on holiday, temporary work visa, college visa or what have you, and simply 'overstay.'

It's as much a "selective enforcement" issue as anything else, or at least regarded that way. The Sensenbrenner effort is widely regarded as a "Pick on Mexicans" bill. You don't see them going after, or even mentioning, the Irish or Eastern European 'illegals' in this fashion, to say nothing of the Chinese, who come over quite literally by the boatload, often in shipping containers. Whenever the subject comes up, no one talks about these people, only the Mexican aggie and minimum wage domestic workers.

It's no fun...being an illegal alien!!!

Zoot suit riots, next? http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/zoot/eng_filmmore/fd.html

[blondeatlast]

4. I'm married to an Indian emigre who just became a citizen.

Yes, he's in the IT business and is the information architect for a major corporation you would know.

He's damn good at his job and worked damn hard to get where he is--despite numerous incidences of discrimination.

The point here is very clear--they compete on a level playing field. Professionals from other countries expect the same salaries, benefits, and protection given to native born US citizens. It's not a question of cheaper labor, simple as that. It's a question of qualifications, experience, who suits the position better.

My husband hires based entirely on those qualities, and his crew is about 2/3 US born and 1/3 emigre. He does specifically look for people who don't carry an attitude towards emigres--he works for an international company, so the attitudes better be checked at the door--they can't come out with meetings overseas or everyone loses.

I have no problem with Mexican immigrants, whether illegal or not, for the same reason you mentioned. In fact, I'd like to see them afforded the same labor protections we have.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. High paying positions need to go to Americans, not immigrants

I'm glad you're happy, blessings to your marriage, I'm sure he's absolutely delightful or you would not have married him.

However, ALL immigrants need to be considered. I believe no immigrants should be provided visas if they're going to be occupying positions that are high-paying. Period, end of story.

[fujiyama]

19. So basically

you're saying the US should let in only unskilled workers.

Immigrants are fine as long as they clean toilets and work in the sun pickin fruit, but let's not let them do any higher skilled work.

[GRLMGC]

20. I didn't realize manual labor wasn't real work

Mind you i'm not agreeing with the person you're responding to but manual work is incredibly labor intensive.

[fujiyama]

22. I agree

That was a mistake on my part. Manual labor is definetely real work.

I changed it to "skilled" work. Although that too isn't completely accurate, because there is manual labor that does require skills, it's probably a better fit to what I was getting at.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

28. No, actually. I'm saying we need to discuss the "other" immigrants

No one talks about the "other" immigrants, the ones with college degrees that don't have to cross fences, but merely get an easy American visa and steal the high paying jobs. Meanwhile, the ones that risks their lives to get here, just to get a toilet-cleaning job, they are attacked mercilessly.

I say let's open the discussion to discuss why we have a wide-open-door policy to college grads from other countries. Do we have no college graduates here? Is no one graduating from our colleges? Are there so many jobs here that they simply are unable to fill them with our college grads?

I know why college grads from other countries are welcomed with open arms and free visas, while the poor, uneducated Mexicans are threatened, laws written against them, and now possibly sent back after years of hard work here. It was explained on Air America the other day.

I say the free visas and open door policy to college grads from other countries needs to be shut, and the doors to the uneducated Mexicans left open.

[fujiyama]

34. Wow

Talk about arrogant.

No one is 'stealing' a job. Please stop using that term. If a job is OFFERED to people, they will take advantage of it. That's not theft. You're as bad as those attacking poorer Mexican immigrants. IMO they aren't 'stealing' jobs either, though they are breaking the law by not entering legitimately. If they want, they can apply and enter properly as most immigrants like my parents have down.

There is a MAJOR difference between entering here legally and ILLEGALLY. This is absolutely idiotic. Attack better educated immigrants entering legally, while you defend lesser educated people entering ILLEGALLY? Yeah, let's reward people BREAKING THE LAW!

I'm finished with this conversation, because you make no sense whatsoever. Atleast the "shut the borders completely" crowd is more consistant in their xenophobia.

[FormerDittoHead]

36. I like the Canadian technique...

Before an employer can give a job to a non-Canadian, they have to show they advertised / interviewed for that job to citizens before hiring a non-citizen.

[Warpy]

7. Americans would gladly clean toilets and pick fruit

if CHEAP LABOR CONSERVATIVES hadn't pushed the wages for doing so far below the limit it takes to stay alive in the US.

The "Americans don't want those jobs" is a REPUGLICAN LIE that insults Americans who are desperate for jobs to pay their bills.

You see, the problem is WAGES and how artificially low they have been kept. When janitorial and agricultural work starts paying enough to support people who live in this country permanently and aren't just passing through, then there will be plenty of takers.

[High Plains]

9. Tell me about the good old days

when people made good money cleaning toilets or picking fruit.

[QC]

30. Union janitors got enough to make a living.

But there's not many union janitors around anymore.

[fujiyama]

12. They are not "taking your jobs away"

What a bunch of shit.

No one "steals" another person's job. No one is entitled to any particular job.

I'm sorry. I don't have a problem with well educated people coming here to work. And they rarely commit crimes as well - after all they didn't commit a crime in entering in the first place. They entered LEGALLY. And I'm fuckin tired of people not understanding the difference between the two.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

15. Oh please spare me.

Provide me with 1 good reason why immigrants should be provided with visas for good, high-paying jobs, when AMERICAN college kids and people of all ages are out desperately looking for good, high-paying positions?

[fujiyama]

18. I AM an American

that just graduated in engineering.

But I'm not blaming people that are taking an opportunity to come and further their lives for me not finding a job. I welcome fair competition from anyone, as long as they are paid the same as someone else would. The problem is the way it's set up is ripe for abuse - often the visa holders aren't paid the same. And of course, most of us would agree that employers should look for Americans first to fill in a job.

So YOU spare me. You want to blame someone? Blame corporations and blame our own fuckin government for issuing those visas. Personally, I'm not offended by skilled workers coming here to study and possibly work.

What amuses me is some will defend people jumping the border because they're poor, before they defend legal immigrants being issued legitimate visas to work here. I would rather have well educated people entering the country legitimately before giving amnesty to people that broke the law to enter in the first place.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

37. This isn't personal, but since the door isn't open wide for Mexicans

Why should it be open for you?

[Warpy]

5. Their southern border is sealed

Foreign nationals can't own land in Mexico, although they can lease.
Foreign nationals have a real hard time getting a job in Mexico, even when they're there legally.

Mexico is a lot more hostile to foreigners in general than we are, and especially to those who go illegally.

Every time Fox cries about the treatment of Mexican illegals I think he must be auditioning for a spot in the Bush cabinet, the hypocrisy is that extreme.

[blondeatlast]

6. Not if they are middle class by Mexico standards.

They welcome them with open arms if that's the case.

Just visit Puerto Penasco, aka Rocky Point sometime and see all the Americans with oceanfront homes.

[Adelante]

8. Foreigners can and do own land in Mexico

I believe you are thinking of coastal property.

As to the OP, Mexico has zero tolerance for illegal immigrants. They find you and you're out.

[auburnblu]

10. That is what puzzles me then

I was under the impression that the Mexican government wasn't as accomodating on illegal immigration as the U.S. from what limited readings I can find. Tough to find many articles on it. So it is ironic and definitely hypocritical to hear Fox criticize the U.S. if Mexico is not accomodating at all to say immigrants fom Equador or El Salvador. Maybe a poor person in Equador thinks there is more opportunity in Mexico than at home, well why isn't Vicente Fox accomodating any of this?

[Placebo]

13. It's so true.

Total hypocrisy.

[APPLE314]

11. They are directly South of it. - n/t

[High Plains]

16. Mexico's harsh southern border enforcement helps the US

Do you think all those Central Americans are emigrating to Mexico?

That said, the posture of the Mexican government does reek of hypocrisy. There are also Mexicans--police and others--who prey on the Central Americans headed North.

I heartily recommend the movie "El Norte" about a Guatemalan brother and sister who make the trek...

[Minnesota Libra]

17. Mexican government is strict when it comes to people coming..........

.....into their country. Example; non-citizens can't own property along most of the borders. There is much more of course.

The difference is that Mexico was to help set our border policy especially along that southern border.

So the bottom line is what they do to others is NO what they want done to them.

[fujiyama]

21. They are obviously hypocritical

The main reason they don't mind their own citizens heading north is because of the money they send back.

It's about damn time someone told the Mexican government and military to stop facilitating this. Of course Bush couldn't.

[Blaze Diem]

23. Question--Why don't they enter the US legally..some do ..

why not all? Certainly the channels exist for entrance into the US legally..So the problem is?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

29. Because they don't have the thousands of dollars required to do so nt

[VirtualChicano]

25. that's rhetorical.

<Does the Mexican government encourage illegal immigration to their own country?>

that's rhetorical.

it basically depends on the intent of the indivuals seeking to enter the country. for example, mexico's south is basically a maya repulic and mexico tries to resolve family seperation issues by granting residence to guatemalens.

if, however, people have made their way from brazil, panama etc and their sole intent is to get to the u.s. then mexico will most likely detain and deport them.

now keep in mind mexico has the world's 10nth largest economy. to you mexico might be a joke but if you are starving in nicaragua mexico looks pretty good. again, mexico takes a pragmatic approach and sets priorities as to who will get residence. families being first pick while convicted criminals get denied. but everyone in between gets a chance to gain residence.

[auburnblu]

31. I asked because

I remember some comments from Kerry early on in the Campaign before the Dem nominee was decided that shocked me. He mentioned how tough it is for illegals crossing into the U.S., and how we should make the crossings less dangerous. He at no time mentioned a work Visa solution, he was basically upset that it was so challenging to enter illegally.

And I don't think Mexico is a joke. I asked where Mexico stands, because I think to a poor person in El Salvador, Mexico may seem like a good place to be. Is Mexico issuing driver's licenses to those in their country illegally?

[VirtualChicano]

35. Mexico does not have a unitary form of gov.

Mexico does not have a unitary form of gov., therefore, it depends on the individual state where the person applies for the driver's license as to whether or not he can obtain one.

[erpowers]

26. The New Law-US

Is this new law just a piece of BS? Is this just for show; a law meant to do nothing and stop nothing? I tend to think there are better more effective ways to deal with the illegal immigration.

[auburnblu]

32. 400,000 visas is for show

I applaud Kennedy and McCain for doing something. But 400,000 visas is 4%, not 40 but 4% of the illegals. What are the rest going to do, say whoops guess I need to leave???

[Bridget Burke]

27. Do you propose Mexico adapt the Republican plan....

That all the Republicans at DU have been touting?

Good divisive issue! But some of us are not fooled.

[auburnblu]

33. Not fooled???

I think it is a very relevant question. Vicente Fox had the Mexican government handing out publications on how to cross the border.

Other than the speed limit never being enforced, I can't think of any other law that is so disregarded. I want to know what the heck is Mexico's position on citizens from El Salvador deciding to cross into Mexico and stay illegally. If the position leans to deportation and that's the rule, not the exception, then Vicente Fox and the Mexican government need to shut up about lecturing the U.S. Personally if I were a U.S. politician I would float the idea of paying benefits to illegal immigrants that are in Mexico, i.e. citizens of other countries that have entered Mexico illegally and reside there and have a job. I would do it knowing it wouldn't pass but knowing it would get press coverage and expose Fox's position.

The vast majority of immigrants are coming here for a better life and that makes sense. However there has to be some control. If those on DU so in favor of illegal immigration really cared about making sure we let new residents in the U.S. that would most benefit, they would be in favor of airlifting folks in from the Sudan.