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Mexicans urge easy crossings

Darren Meritz
El Paso Times
Sunday, December 11, 2005

Mexican lawmakers pressed Saturday at a conference in El Paso for changes that would allow border residents more freedom to move between the United States and Mexico, despite urging from some U.S. state legislators for laws to curtail ills associated with undocumented immigration.

At the 12th Legislative Forum of the Border Legislative Conference, legislators from 11 border states of Mexico and the United States shared their perspectives on immigration issues at the Abraham Chavez Theatre.

Arizona state Rep. Russ Jones, R-Yuma, urged legislators to consider alternative repatriation and immigration policies because border towns are burdened by costs associated with undocumented immigrants. States pay expensive bills "just because we happen to be on the border," Jones said.

In addition to costs associated with returning immigrants to Mexico, state governments must contend with social problems that Jones linked to undocumented immigration -- particularly a large percentage of immigrant felons held in Arizona prisons.

Jones estimated that undocumented immigrants account for almost 20 percent of Arizona's prison population.


While Arizona state legislators argued for policies that would reduce costs associated with undocumented immigration to border states, Mexican officials advocated regulations more accommodating to border residents.

Since the advent of the Department of Homeland Security, Mexican nationals are encountering more obstacles to crossing the border into the United States regularly, said Juan José González Espinoza, of the Chihuahua state legislature.

A mechanism should be created to identify people who live, work and do business regularly on both sides of the border so they can cross easily, he said.

Mexican officials also urged legislators to have humanitarian considerations for immigrant workers in the United States.

"Human work is not a merchandise, let alone a criminal act or terrorist act," said Carlos Galindo Meza, of the Sonora state legislature.

Darren Meritz may be reached at dmeritz@elpasotimes.com; 546-6127.