Thread: Napolitano, Kolbe to meet with Mexican officials

Napolitano, Kolbe to meet with Mexican officials
Gov. Janet Napolitano will be in Tucson through Saturday for meetings with top Mexican officials from the border state of Sonora. Tucson Congressman Jim Kolbe is also scheduled to attend the meetings with Mexican leaders.

Napolitano said the major focus of the meetings will be economic development.

Mexico is Arizona's top trading partner, but illegal immigration and border security are top problems in U.S. and Arizona relations south of the border.

The Democratic governor has gotten some heat from immigration hawks for her vetoes of several Republican measures aimed at prohibiting illegal immigrants from obtaining government services and allowing local law enforcement to help enforce federal immigration laws.

Napolitano has been critical of the Bush administration for not dedicating more resources to border security and for not reimbursing Arizona and other states for some of the costs of illegals, such as housing them in state prisons.

Since taking office in 2003, Napolitano has stressed the need to bolster trade and economic ties between Arizona and Mexico.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stor ... st=b_ln_hl

The Democratic governor has gotten some heat from immigration hawks for her vetoes of several Republican measures aimed at prohibiting illegal immigrants from obtaining government services and allowing local law enforcement to help enforce federal immigration laws.

Governor Mexicano has earned all the heat she has received.