Thread: Calderon sees illegal immigration fading as U.S.-Mexico flashpoint By Tim Devaney

Calderon sees illegal immigration fading as U.S.-Mexico flashpoint

By Tim Devaney
The Washington Times
Tuesday, April 24, 2012



Mexico's President Felipe Calderon speaks at the 2012 CEO Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, Friday April 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon speaks at the 2012 CEO Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, Friday April 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Citing new research that shows population flows have basically leveled off between Mexico and the United States, Mexican President Felipe Calderon told U.S. business leaders Tuesday that illegal immigration was fading as a flashpoint of division between the two countries.

“Today, we are tying,” Mr. Calderon said during a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as part of the U.S.–Mexico Leadership Initiative Business Summit. “What that means is today we are reducing migration to the United States.”

The research the Mexican leader cited came from a Pew Hispanic Center study released Monday, which reported a startling shift in tradition patterns of migration north and south of the border. Between 1995 and 2000, 2.9 million Mexicans came north to the United States, while only 670,000 Americans moved south to Mexico. But from 2005 to 2010, nearly 1.4 million people living in the United States relocated to Mexico, met by the same number of Mexicans heading north.

The Mexican president, who was not scheduled to meet with President Obama on his Washington visit, said one reason for the shift was increasing economic opportunities for Mexicans at home coupled with a decline in the attraction of the U.S. economy.

“Actually, a lot of Mexican people are thinking and coming back to our country,” he said. “There is a switching of opportunities. The agricultural sector in the United States is losing a lot competitiveness and opportunities due to restrictions.”

Mr. Calderon also spoke about the importance of trade in the bilateral relationship, and pressed the Obama administration to consider joining an Asia-Pacific trade bloc Mexico has been promoting along with Canada and Japan. The three countries in November asked to join the United States and eight other countries in the region — Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei — in talks to form a new “Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

“The world needs more trade, and not less trade,” he said during his speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The world needs more freedom, and not less freedom. We need more investment.”

Mexico’s trade agenda has grown since Mr. Calderon took office in 2006, focusing on trade liberalization, tariff reduction, deregulation, macroeconomic stability, investment in infrastructure and investment in education.

“We are deepening our commitment to free trade,” he said. “We need to remember the benefits of trade. Trade is positive for the economy. Consumers win, workers win, producers win, we all win with trade.”

Trade fueled a 4 percent growth in Mexican GDP in 2011, according to President Calderon, leading to 600,000 new jobs. In 2011, Mexico was responsible for nearly 12 percent of U.S. imports, compared to 6.9 percent in 1993, just before the NAFTA free-trade accord with Canada and the United States was ratified.

“Mexico is winning market share,” he said.

Meanwhile, American companies export more to Mexico than any other country, including Japan and China combined. In 2011, American firms exported about $197 billion to Mexico, while Japan and China combined exported $170 billion, and South and Central American exported about $168 billion.

“We are a more important destination for American products,” he added.


Calderon sees illegal immigration fading as U.S.-Mexico flashpoint - Washington Times

I'm really glad that Mexican illegal aliens are feeling the heat and going home! We plan to send a lot more your way soon Felipe. SO many illegal aliens will be returning to Mexico that you won't be grinning and boasting about it for long Felipe.

W

Mexico's president seeks credit for migration drop across U.S. border

April 25, 2012 | 12:11pm

MEXICO CITY—Mexican President Felipe Calderon thinks he deserves some credit for the dramatic reduction in the flow of Mexican migrants to the United States.

The movement of northbound migrants, in decline for years, has fallen to the point where it is essentially offset by Mexicans returning home — leaving net migration at a virtual standstill, the Pew Hispanic Center reported Monday.

The center cited a mix of reasons for the migration dropoff, which demographers say could spell the end of the biggest immigration wave in U.S. history. The factors include economic recession in the United States that has dried up jobs, toughened border enforcement, increased deportations and declining Mexican birth rates.

A day later, speaking to a gathering hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Calderon hailed the findings, saying his administration’s policies have played a key role in keeping Mexicans at home and prompting others to return.

“We are creating opportunities, job opportunities in Mexico, education opportunities for young people, health services and healthcare for the entire nation,” Calderon said, speaking in English.

Calderon acknowledged some Mexicans still think about leaving for the United States. “But the fact is there is a swing in terms of opportunity,” he said.

Migration experts in Mexico have scoffed at such assertions in the past, saying the condition of the U.S. economy has historically been the most important factor in speeding or slowing the flow of Mexican workers to the north.

Besides a shortage of the kind of jobs that traditionally have drawn Mexican laborers, migrants say the trip has become too risky. Tougher U.S. enforcement means it is harder and more expensive to sneak across, while bloodthirsty criminal gangs prey on migrants on the Mexican side of the border.

Migrants also cite an increasingly hostile environment in states that have passed strict immigration laws, such as the Arizona measure being reviewed Wednesday by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mexico's president seeks credit for migration drop across U.S. border - latimes.com

Mexican President Felipe Calderon thinks he deserves some credit for the dramatic reduction in the flow of Mexican migrants to the United States.

Sorry dude... you missed April Fool's day by a couple of weeks. If you believe this I have some beach front property in Nebraska I'll sell you for cheep (mis-spelling intended!)

Mexican president says some US efforts to control illegal immigration unfair to immigrants

Calderon’s comments on immigration came the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over Arizona’s law, which requires police to check the legal status of people they stop for other reasons.

By Associated Press, Published: April 25

HOUSTON — Mexican President Felipe Calderon said during a speech Wednesday evening that while he respects U.S. laws designed to control illegal immigration, he’s against statutes like Arizona’s controversial law that he believes unfairly go after immigrants.

“I want to be very clear. We are respectful of U.S. sovereignty. But we have to be firmly against those initiatives that tend to criminalize those that are not committing a crime,” Calderon said during an hourlong speech to more than 200 Mexican immigrants at a community center in Houston.

The speech was part of a daylong visit to Houston by Calderon, who also met with local business leaders and the city’s mayor. Latinos make up about 44 percent of Houston’s population, according to U.S. census figures.

While Calderon made reference to various initiatives U.S. states have passed to control illegal immigration, he singled out Arizona’s law, which he described as not only anti-immigrant but also as possibly racist.

Calderon’s comments on immigration came the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over Arizona’s law, which requires police to check the legal status of people they stop for other reasons.

During arguments earlier in the day, justices on the high court seemed to strongly suggest they are ready to allow Arizona to enforce part of the law.

The Obama administration challenged the law in federal court. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah passed similar laws, parts of which also are on hold pending the high court’s decision.

A decision in the high-profile immigration case is expected in late June.

Calderon said he isn’t interested in promoting Mexican immigration to the U.S., but he wants to ensure that Mexican immigrants in the U.S. can live and work in dignity. He said immigrants who commit crimes in the U.S. should face consequences.

“As president I am not interested that more people leave Mexico. It hurts. ... Community leaders leave ... families are broken,” he said. “The people who are here have elemental rights such as respect for their dignity.”

During his speech, Calderon also highlighted a study released earlier this week by the Pew Hispanic Center that said the number of Mexican immigrants living illegally in the U.S. has dropped significantly for the first time in decades. Calderon said this was good news for Mexico as the drop showed that more immigrants are choosing to return home because the country’s economy as well as its education and health care systems are improving.

Alain Cisneros, a Mexican immigrant who stood outside the community center before Calderon’s speech because he did not receive an invitation to the event by the Mexican consulate in Houston, said he would have told the president that he is painting a false picture of Mexico. Cisneros, who is from San Luis Potosi and has lived in Houston for 16 years, said Mexico is still struggling with poverty, the ongoing drug war and a lack of well-paying jobs for its citizens.

“I wish I could have an opportunity to tell him that his arguments aren’t true and in his farewell to the United States, he is leaving an image of a Mexico that doesn’t exist,” said Cisneros, 34. Calderon’s six-year term as president is ending this year as Mexico will choose a new president July 1.

source: Mexican president says some US efforts to control illegal immigration unfair to immigrants - The Washington Post

“Actually, a lot of Mexican people are thinking and coming back to our country,” he said



Good!!!! Come and get em!