Thread: Governor Schwarzenegger may get cold reception in Mexico

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib ... 3trip.html

Governor may get cold reception in Mexico

Driver license issue frays ties south of border

By Ed Mendel
STAFF WRITER

July 13, 2005

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has traveled to the Middle East and Asia while in office, may get a mixed reception tomorrow as he makes his first trip as governor to Mexico.

Schwarzenegger expects a warm greeting at a Border Governors Conference in Torreon, Coahuila, from some of his Mexican counterparts, particularly Baja California Gov. Eugenio Elorduy Walther and Coahuila Gov. Enrique MartÃÂ*nez.

But Schwarzenegger's remarks about border security and his effort to repeal a law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver licenses have inflamed passions among some Mexican officials. A California Latino activist group yesterday predicted the governor will be met by protesters in Torreon.

Mexican President Vicente Fox canceled a trip to California last fall amid tension about the driver license issue. And Schwarzenegger has repeatedly delayed plans to go to Mexico to see a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal.

"We completely understand the challenges of scheduling," said Schwarzenegger press secretary Margita Thompson about Fox's cancellation, "because that has kept the governor from going to Baja."

Schwarzenegger plans to attend a hearing on military base closures tomorrow in Los Angeles, and then travel by private jet to Torreon.

Making a brief appearance at the two-day conference, he will attend a private dinner banquet with governors from both countries and then immediately fly back back to California tomorrow night.

Thompson said the governor found that the banquet was the most productive part of last year's conference, which was in New Mexico. She said the governors of Texas and Arizona may not attend this year. The governors of four U.S. states and six Mexican states are members of the conference.

Jeffrey Davidow, president of the Institute of the Americas, based at the University of California San Diego, said the trip could be a positive development.

"I think some of the things that have happened recently in California, whether reported accurately, tend to get reported in a very alarmist fashion in Mexico," said Davidow, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 1998 to 2002.

"The trip will be seen as an indication of California's interest in deepening its ties with Mexico," he said.

A different view came from Wayne Cornelius, director of the Center for Immigration Studies at UCSD. He believes the governor's role in repealing the driver license law, which never took effect, will continue to make him unpopular in Mexico.

Cornelius said that if Schwarzenegger were traveling to Mexico after having signed legislation that allowed some form of driving privileges for illegal immigrants, he would receive a warmer reception.

"I think more has to happen on critical issues that are highly salient in Mexico, and that this governor has some control over, to make it possible for him to build some solid bridges," Cornelius said.

Recent congressional action effectively prevents states from issuing regular driver licenses to illegal immigrants, but allows a modified driving certificate.

Schwarzenegger does not want legislation on the issue this year, his aides have said, preferring to wait until the federal regulations are fully implemented.

Issues discussed at previous border conferences include trade, border security, environment and water. A new working group was formed this year for agricultural issues.

Thompson said Schwarzenegger phoned governors MartÃÂ*nez and Elorduy yesterday to tell them he would be attending.

A photo of Schwarzenegger, MartÃÂ*nez and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson at the conference last year is displayed on the home page of the Coahuila state Web site.

Elorduy visited Schwarzenegger in Sacramento last year. Thompson said Schwarzenegger also met Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez in Los Angeles.

"He (Schwarzenegger) really likes the governors," Thompson said. "It really is interesting that a lot of the challenges faced by governors on this side of the border are the same as those faced by governors on the other side."

But as Schwarzenegger looks forward to renewing acquaintances, even if for only a few hours, a coalition of Latino activist groups in California anticipates that there will be anti-Schwarzenegger demonstrators outside the meeting.

"There is no doubt in my mind there will be plenty of individuals in Torreon to make sure that no one in the U.S., and certainly in California, gets a free pass when they use the issue of Mexico and immigration to win votes," said Juan Jose Gutierrez of Latino Movement USA.

Gutierrez said his group is part of a coalition angered by Schwarzenegger's remarks this year about a need to "close" the border, later corrected to "secure" the border, followed by praise in April for the Minutemen volunteer border watchers.

The governor's comments came as his approval rating was in decline. Gutierrez compared his actions to former Gov. Pete Wilson's endorsement of an anti-illegal immigrant measure, Proposition 187, when he ran for re-election in 1994 at a time when his poll numbers had plummeted.

Schwarzenegger had already drawn criticism from Latinos north and south of the border for persuading legislators to repeal the driver license law, and then breaking a promise to provide an alternative.

"This is not just a matter of we get insulted and hold a little press conference to say we don't like what he said," said Gutierrez.

He said a coalition of Latino U.S. groups asked the Mexican government this year to declare Schwarzenegger persona non grata.

In May, a Tlaxcala state lawmaker called on his legislature to approve a resolution urging Mexicans to burn their Schwarzenegger movies and declaring the California governor persona non grata, but the measure was never passed.

If I were Governor of California, I would ask.....why is the Border Governors Conference in Mexico?

Whatever!!

It's all silly and nothing will come of it. A total waste of time. US Governors will politely "beg" for Mexico to keep their citizens home while the Mexico Governors will rudely "threaten" them with something as silly as burning Arnie's movies.

As I said in another post, people, we are alone and unprotected.

Summits, Debates, Conferences, Hearings about US Immigration Law is a disgrace to begin with. We have our laws; they are well-designed; they suit our needs; and simply need to be enforced with Border Patrol and National Guard Troops. Walls need to be constructed. Guard towers posted. A no nonsense approach to enforcing our laws--deport illegal aliens; prosecute lawbreakers; secure the borders....it's very simple and it is not negotiable.