Thread: Mexico's president-elect optimistic on immigration reform

Mexico's president-elect optimistic on immigration reform

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4326865.html

By LAURA KURTZMAN
Associated Press

Nov. 10, 2006

MEXICO CITY — A day after meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush, Mexico's President-elect Felipe Calderon said today he was optimistic Washington will push through a comprehensive immigration overhaul.

Calderon made the comments during a meeting with California's Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a strong supporter of a guest worker program.

Schwarzenegger, who is on a two-day trade mission to Mexico, was accompanied by California farmers who have complained a crackdown on immigration has caused them labor shortages.

During his visit, the governor said a planned U.S. border wall is "an incomplete way" of solving illegal immigration and said both California and Mexico would benefit from legalizing workers. Schwarzenegger also invited Calderon to visit California in the spring.

Calderon has called the U.S. plan to build a 700-mile (1,125-kilometer) fence along the border "deplorable" and compared it to the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Bush, who signed the law authorizing the fence on Oct. 26, also wants more temporary worker permits for foreigners willing to take low-wage jobs and a path for illegal immigrants working in the United States for some time to become citizens. But his Republican-dominated Congress has not agreed.

With the Democrats taking over the new U.S. Congress, some have expressed hope there might be movement on a migration accord — a top priority of outgoing President Vicente Fox.

Also today, Schwarzenegger asked Calderon to back tough intellectual property laws and put California's spinach back on supermarket shelves when he takes office Dec. 1. The Mexican government pulled U.S.-imported spinach off shelves after three people died in the U.S. from eating spinach infected with the bacteria E. Coli.

Mexican officials were expected to visit California in the next two weeks to conduct final inspections before lifting the ban.

Later in the day, the governor traveled to the northern industrial city of Monterrey, where he taped a local TV cooking show and tossed an "ensalada amigo," or "friend" salad made from California spinach with Chef Lulu Pedraza.

"Very nice California spinach," the governor said, serving the salad. "I'm going to give you a lot of California spinach."

Schwarzenegger remarked that promoting the state's fruits and vegetables reminded him of when he was a bodybuilder peddling protein products at shopping centers.

Apparently, he was pretty good at it.

"Governor, I look forward to the chance to cook with you again," said Lulu, as they kissed each other on the cheek goodbye.

I think we should call for a boycott of all produce coming from California! I also think we should all write the new President of Mexico and tell him just where the American people stand on illegal immigration so there is no doubt to him as to what we want!