Thread: Mexico's Fox protests as second US state closes border

Tue Aug 16, 7:26 PM ET

Arizona ignored pleas for greater cooperation from Mexican President Vicente Fox to become the second US state to declare a state of emergency on its border due to rising illegal immigration, violence and smuggling.

Four days after New Mexico declared a 90 day state of emergency for border areas, Arizona did the same for its four counties on the Mexican frontier, citing uncontrolled illegal immigration.

"The federal government has to secure our border, and the health and safety of all Arizonans is threatened daily by violent gangs, coyotes (human traffickers) and other dangerous criminals," said Arizona governor Janet Napolitano in a statement.

"I intend to take every action feasible to stem the tide of criminal behavior on the Arizona side of the border," she said.

Napolitano explained her decision based on statistics showing that illegal crossings on US borders are as high as three million every year, and that as many as 700,000 new unauthorized immigrants entered the country last year, many through Arizona.

On Friday, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson issued the state of emergency along his state's border with Mexico, citing "recent developments ... including violence directed at law enforcement, damage to property and livestock, increased evidence of drug smuggling and an increase in the number of undocumented immigrants."

The moves followed the week-long closure at the beginning of August of the US consulate in Nuevo Laredo, on the border with Texas, following a rise in lethal gang violence in that Mexican city.

The state of emergency declarations for the two states' border areas opened the way for the two governors to tap into emergency funds to expand border control operations.

Napolitano said Arizona would be earmarking 1.5 million dollars in emergency funds "to combat the growing devastation caused by the crimes associated with illegal immigration."

Mexican President Fox responded Tuesday to the moves by the two US governors with calls for greater cooperation over border problems.

He exhorted the United States to coordinate with Mexico to resolve border problems.

"Instead of pointing fingers, let's have proposals; instead of each side working by itself, let's work together; only like this will we be able to win," Fox said.

"There are criminal organizations on both that side (of the border) and this side; there are drug users on that side and this side," he said.

Sean McCormack, spokesman for the US State Department, said Tuesday that the US government is working alongside the Mexican government to protect the border.

McCormack said in regard to Richardson's decision that, as the governor of New Mexico, he has the responsibility to protect his state citizens in the manner he sees apprpriate.

Mexican agencies continued to stress the need to cooperate on border problems. On Monday, Jose Reyes Baena, the governor of the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, met with Texas authorities to discuss border security, especially the problem of drug trafficking, which has resulted in some 550 deaths along the border so far this year.

The Mexican foreign and interior ministries also said Tuesday in a joint statement that they were contacting Napolitano to discuss the new measures.

"We will watch to see that any action by police organizations remains respectful of the rights of our compatriots and respect domestic and international laws," the statement said.

The arrogance and meddling of the messy-kun bloviators just grows exponentially by the day!

Hopefully, someday soon, their bubble will burst because they're so full of themselves with arrogance and pride that they're about to burst at the seams!

"We will watch to see that any action by police organizations remains respectful of the rights of our compatriots and respect domestic and international laws," the statement said.

Any bets on how long it's going to be before Bush condems the State Police for being vigilantes?

So Fox is mad, cry me a river

[Mod edit] These anti Bush posts are going way overboard and need to stop.

Originally Posted by steelerbabe

So Fox is mad, cry me a river

Yeah really! :P Such a baby, Fox-ee is always whining about something.

He always whines when he doesn't get his way.

Yep, cry a river so deep and wide that it can't be crossed by his invading hordes.

A river much deeper and wider than the Rio Grande. A chasm of a river stretching from coast to coast all along the border.

Better yet, cry an ocean! :P - but his arrogant invaders would still try to cross it!

"Instead of pointing fingers, let's have proposals; instead of each side working by itself, let's work together; only like this will we be able to win," Fox said.

We don't need no stinkin' proposals! We have laws and it's time we enforce them to the fullest and seal the border.

Janet Napolitano, wasn’t she blocking anti illegal immigration legislation? It must be close to election day....Time to sing a new song to get re-elected..

Originally Posted by TheWatchdog

"Instead of pointing fingers, let's have proposals; instead of each side working by itself, let's work together; only like this will we be able to win," Fox said.

We don't need no stinkin' proposals! We have laws and it's time we enforce them to the fullest and seal the border.

Sure sounds if Fox wants to work together with us. When his government is out printing pamphlets on how to cross the borders safely.

Oh the link to see what they are printing. Just in case you haven't seen it.

http://cryptome.quintessenz.org/mirror/ ... grants.htm

Sorry, Mr. Fox. It's going to be a lot tougher for you to deal with the Legal American Citizens than it is for you to deal with President Bush.

This is America, not Amerika.