Thread: Mexican consul says he turned threatening e-mail over to U.S

Mexican consul says he turned threatening e-mail over to U.S.

He had warned others of Irving crackdown on illegal immigrants

05:31 AM CDT on Thursday, October 11, 2007
By ISABEL MORALES / Al DÃ*a imorales@aldiatx.com

Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea has received plenty of hate mail in the last several days over his comments about Irving's crackdown on illegal immigrants.

On Sunday, he received a threat, as well, which he said he has reported to the U.S. State Department.

"Keep out of our dealings with the illegals in our state and in our country," reads the e-mail sent Oct. 7. "This is not your issue, this is my country and we will take care of it. Any interference from you people will have dire consequences.

The threat follows Mr. Hubbard's warning to Mexican immigrants to stay out of Irving because of the spike in the number of deportations being reported out of that city in the last several months. At the same time, the diplomat said he believed Mexican nationals were being detained simply because of their appearance.

Last month's warning was part of a shift in policy by the Mexican government to toughen its defense of immigrants and give the consulates in the U.S. more resources as well, officials familiar with the strategy have said. 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 law enforcement.

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.

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 then.

"The environment is poisonous, and the fact that there is now this threat against the consul confirms that we have a racist element in this mix," Mr. Hubbard said. "I can't come up with any other way to explain the fact that there is now a threat against someone who is bringing these things to light."

Mr. Hubbard said that he filed an official complaint with representatives in the State Department's Dallas office on Tuesday and that they responded that they would possibly contact Dallas police.

"I don't know if they will launch an investigation," he said.

Officials with the State Department could not confirm Wednesday that they had received a complaint. And Dallas Police Department authorities were not aware of the complaint.

Between July 1, 2006, and Oct. 4, 2007, the Irving Police Department has turned over 1,685 illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials as part of the Criminal Alien Program, or CAP.

Under the program, people who are detained at the Irving Jail are asked about their legal status. If they are found to be illegal, they are turned over to immigration authorities.

Local activists are frustrated about the situation and say that hate mail and threats will do nothing to solve the problem, but dialogue will.

"This is horrible," said Anthony Bond, an activist in Irving. "The person who made that threat should be prosecuted. The consul is a victim of a hate crime."

Mr. Hubbard said he would continue about his business, though he's not taking the threat lightly. He said he would ask his wife to be more careful, but that he will not be intimidated.

"I am not going to keep my mouth shut or stop saying what I need to say," he added. "I'm not taking this lightly, but it's not going to affect my life."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... ea386.html

At the same time, the diplomat said he believed Mexican nationals were being detained simply because of their appearance.

What proof does he have to back this accusation up? He believed, huh? Well I believe that it is a conspiracy to do away with all white people in this country, but that doesn't necessarily make me right. His blatent remarks are RACIST.

"Keep out of our dealings with the illegals in our state and in our country," reads the e-mail sent Oct. 7. "This is not your issue, this is my country and we will take care of it. Any interference from you people will have dire consequences.

I do believe the Mexicans should keep out of our dealings with the illegals in our state and in our country and I believe that this is not their issue, this is our country and we will take care of it, not the Mexicans. If they want to make it their issue, then first do something about the fact that hoards of people are fleeing Mexico and illegally crossing the U.S. border. The last sentence could have been meant to say "Any interference from you people will have dire consequences for the U.S." So the message is on the mark.

That was a threat It certainly didn't sound threatening to me but more like the writer wasn't completely clear in what they intended to convey.

Personally, I took from it that the person was telling Mexico to butt out and quit meddling, because it's not going to be tolerated forever and if they continue to do so it's eventually going to lead to consequences not in the best interest of Mexico politically, economically, or socially.

Why would it not? Historically that has been the unhappy result for any country who has taken it upon themselves to meddle in the affairs of another.

I'm sure Mr. Hubbard has received much, much worse than this rather benign sounding email, as well as some that actually were threatening.

Why has he singled this one out as being some horrible threat?

I have to say it certainly doesn't sound threatening to me either, since the person isn't saying what the dire consquences are?

At the same time, the diplomat said he believed Mexican nationals were being detained simply because of their appearance.

Hey, if you aren't here illegally than you have nothing to worry about.

That guy is a wuss...that was not a threat at all.I want to hear what Judge is going to bust him for that!

Maybe the letter writer was pissed about Calderon and Fox saying Mexicans have the right to go wherever they want and have Mexico government protection. The writer obviously and rightly thinks this is Mexican intrusion on American soveriegnty, and as posters above noted this intrusion will not turn out well for Mexico.

Until the writer of the letter is found, it must be left open to the possibility that it was a set-up calculated to garner sympathy and keep their side of the issue in the spotlight.

Their false cries of racism where there is none makes me suspicious of all their claims.