Mexican President Vicente Fox has said he felt it’s a sad state of affairs when a nation has to build a wall.
We’re not in favor of a wall and parts of the proposal that passed the U.S. House of Representatives recently, but we also don’t take Mexico’s criticism too seriously, mostly because of a report that came out last week on Mexico’s own handling of immigrants within its borders.
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The contradictions are fascinating.
The report, which was released by Mexico’s federal Human Rights Commission, found that it uses many of the same methods to stop illegal immigration that it opposes the United States undertake.
Mexico feels the burden of illegal immigrants who cross over from Central America, many headed to United States.
According to Mexican law, foreigners illegally entering the country will be subject to punishment of up to two years in prison and fines up to $28,200.
The United States doesn’t have that strict of punishment policy. Yes, illegal immigrants are detained, but most are sent back to their home country within hours of being stopped. And the United States also is providing flights to the interior of Mexico.
As far as prison facilities, the report said Mexican facilities are overcrowded and lack working bathrooms, blankets, sleeping mats, adequate food and medical care. Facilities in the United States may be crowded, but the people who are detained get the items and services they need.
The Mexicans also use police and the military to detain illegal immigrants. In the United States, we have a special agency — the Border Patrol — to deal with this, while police and military have been used to supplement that agency’s efforts.
“One of the saddest national failings on immigration issues,” said Jose Luis Soberanes, president of Mexico’s federal Human Rights Commission.
Mexico is too focused on immigration issues outside its border and not focused enough on ways to solve its own issues, including the flow of illegals into the United States.
The United States should be willing to talk about illegal immigration with Mexico and developing policies that can work to stop the flow of illegal migrants.
But our neighbor to the south needs to continue to work on human rights and try to help develop a middle class that can bridge the gap between Mexico’s higher and lower classes.
