Mexico gets U.S. go-ahead for consulate in Boise
Congressman Bill Sali had sought a delay, voicing concerns about ID cards for illegal immigrants.

BY ERIKA BOLSTAD - ebolstad@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 05/03/08


WASHINGTON - The Mexican Embassy hasn't set a date for opening its consulate in Boise, but Mexican officials say the U.S. State Department has green-lighted the plan.
The Mexican government is still looking for a location and hasn't determined who the highest-ranking official will be or how many consular staffers there will be, said Ricardo Alday, a Washington, D.C., spokesman for the Mexican Embassy.

The consulate is set to be the Mexican government's 49th in the U.S.

All consulates require the approval of the U.S. State Department.

Generally, consulates open without objection. But this week, Rep. Bill Sali, R-Idaho, asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to delay approval for the Boise location until the U.S. government had addressed "the moral and constitutional duty to take into consideration how foreign consulates affect our fellow citizens here in our own country."

Sali said in a press release that he is especially concerned about the "consular cards" issued by the Mexican government at consulates across the U.S. Illegal immigrants often use such cards as identification when they rent apartments or open bank accounts.

But the U.S. government has typically welcomed Mexican consulates with open arms. Last week, President Bush and Mexican President Felipe Caldern reopened the New Orleans consulate, which originally opened in 1822, the New Orleans Time-Picayune reported. The two presidents were in New Orleans, along with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, for the North American Leaders Summit.

The Mexican government closed its New Orleans consulate in 2002 as a belt-tightening measure, the Times-Picayune reported. But the government reconsidered its decision in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, when thousands of immigrant workers - both documented and undocumented - moved to New Orleans for cleanup and construction jobs.

Until the New Orleans consulate reopened last week, an estimated 30,000 Mexican citizens in southeast Louisiana were relying on diplomatic services provided out of Houston, the Times-Picayune reported.

Typically, a consulate's role is to protect citizens abroad, provide government services, strengthen relations between countries and promote cultural and business ties.

Often, Alday said, the government chooses places where local government or business leaders have requested a consulate or where there is a significant need in the population.

In addition to the Boise office, the State Department also approved the Mexican government's plans to open a consulate in Anchorage, Alaska. No site has been chosen yet for the Alaskan consulate either, Alday said.

Boise officials said Friday they had not received an application for a Mexican consulate.

Despite repeated questions by the Statesman, Gov. Butch Otter's office wouldn't say this week whether he discussed plans for an Idaho consulate during his recent trade mission to Mexico. Otter spokesman Jon Hanian said the subject wasn't on the trip itinerary.

Otter has said in the past that a consulate would help Idaho increase trade with Mexico and would mutually benefit both governments, Hanian said.

Once opened, the Mexican consulate in Boise will be the first full consular office in Idaho. Boise already is home to honorary consular officials from France and other countries.

Erika Bolstad: 202-383-6104
Kathleen Kreller contributed to this report.

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