Mexican President Speaks To 100s At Yakima Orchard


President Not Fond Of Border Fence


YAKIMA, Wash. -- Mexican President Vicente Fox visited Yakima Wednesday afternoon including a tour of a local apple orchard and fruit packing house with Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Six busloads of farm workers were brought to the farm where Fox spoke to the several hundred individuals in Spanish. He said immigration reform is a shared responsibility between Mexico and America. He told the migrant workers to work hard and respect the law and by doing so Americans will accept you.

He told the workers that he has been working with President Bush for five years on immigration reform, including the guest worker program.

The 700-acre cherry, apple and pear orchard and apple-packing warehouse that the President toured is believed to be the only Hispanic-owned orchard and warehouse in the entire state. It is owned by Rene and Carmen Garcia.

The owners said that illegal workers face extreme racism, which has always existed but has recently raised its ugly head.

He is also campaigning for relaxation of U.S. immigration laws.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski went up to Yakima and visited briefly with the President. Fox said that Bush called him before he spoke on Wednesday and explained why he was putting up the fence at the border. While Fox is not fond of the fence and there are pieces he doesn't like, he understands what is happening and that we will get past this and get a reform bill.

After his stop in Yakima, Fox was headed to Seattle with Gregoire for meetings with business leaders.

5/24/2006

All Material Copyright 2006, KOIN or by original content developer.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy



**Now lets me see, EXTREME RACISM, how is that so? Extreme to me would be what black people in the south had to face every day. The threats of violence, the constant possibility of a KKK lynching, that's extreme. But to say people being fed up with you coming here illegally and taking jobs and taking social services, that is not extreme, that is having an opinion!! See how they like to twist the facts to make thier plight sound like a civil rights issue?**