Thread: Mexican consul defends Irving deportation warning

Mexican consul defends Irving deportation warning

Immigrant reform groups say new policy hurts U.S. affairs

09:09 PM CDT on Thursday, October 4, 2007
By JEFFREY WEISS / The Dallas Morning News
jweiss@dallasnews.com

Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea said he knows he walks a fine line between serving his people and stirring up political problems for them.

But the Mexican consul in Dallas rejected accusations Thursday from groups such as the Dallas-based Citizens for Immigration Reform that a more assertive Mexican policy is meddling in U.S. affairs.

"It probably requires a little more knowledge by the general public about what the rights and duties of a consular officer are," he said.

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Last month's warning for Mexican citizens to avoid the city of Irving, he said, was part of the shift in policy that had been set in January by the new administration.

The new policy by the Mexican government comes as deportations reach an all-time high in the toughest crackdown in decades by the U.S. government and police authorities.

Among the actions under discussion are the creation of an anti-defamation league similar to that focused on protecting Jews, budget increases for some of the 47 consulates, and a media campaign aimed at counteracting groups opposed to illegal, and sometimes legal, immigration.

The effort underscores the tension in U.S. communities grappling with problems created by illegal immigration – and a failure by Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration laws.


CHERYL DIAZ MEYER/DMN
Mexican consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea (center) says becoming more active in immigrants' rights is part of Mexico's new policy. Mexico's consuls were told to be "more active and more involved in the defense of the civil rights of our people," Mr. Hubbard said.

His decision to accuse Irving police of improperly screening people who appeared to be Hispanic for immigration status – and of warning Mexicans to avoid the city – was a response to those new orders.

Irving officials have said that they are only following federal statutes and that only immigrants whom police spot breaking laws are having their status checked.

News of the shift in the Mexican government's policy – along with plans to send more resources to consulates in the U.S. – became more public this week, the result of recent meetings between U.S.-based immigrant leaders and Mexican government officials.

Mexicans living in North Texas should soon see other changes in the consulate, said Mr. Hubbard, who expects to announce a new location by the end of the month. The new building will have ample parking and a lobby large enough that people need not wait outside, he said. It also will have room for more staffers.

As for his warning about Irving, it seems to have had an effect, he said.

Last week, only three Mexicans were deported as a result of arrests in Irving, and all three had been caught driving drunk and therefore deserved to have been arrested, Mr. Hubbard said. In some previous weeks, as many as 70 people had been deported.

"We are not against the policy that was set in Irving," he said. "We are against the way the policy was implemented."

Mr. Hubbard said he's not surprised by an announcement by Irving school officials this week that immigrant parents were withdrawing students out of fear.

Parents have told him that they were not afraid their children would be harassed, but rather were afraid of being stopped by police while driving their kids to and from the schools – and potentially being deported. "I have told them that it looks like things are getting better," Mr. Hubbard said. "But how can I assure them of that?"
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Send the Mexican Consul Home to Mexico

Mexican consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea (center) says becoming more active in immigrants' rights is part of Mexico's new policy. Mexico's consuls were told to be "more active and more involved in the defense of the civil rights of our people," Mr. Hubbard said.

Mr Enrique you hit the nail on the head!!! Mexico should be more involved in the defense and civil rights of their people.....BUT IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY!!!!
Do us all a favor and mind your business Mexico,,,it's time for you to clean up your own back yard and quit worrying about ours!!!

Can only hope this backfires big time. This is going to alienate the
people who are on the fence who thought they were doing the
illegals a favor & now the Mexican gov is demanding rights.