Thread: Bill would let Mexican visitors stay 6 months

Bill would let Mexican visitors stay 6 months
By Louie Gilot / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 02/02/2007 12:00:00 AM MST

Few things are more annoying than watching your neighbor get a better deal than you.

For years, Mexican visitors along the U.S.-Mexico border have been the jilted neighbors. Mexican citizens who have laser visas can come into the United States for only a month at a time. But on the northern border, Canadians can roam the United States for up to six months and they don't need any visa, just their passport.

It has been a sore point with Joe Lopez, owner of Lopez Advertising in El Paso, and other border businessmen.

"We should have parity on both borders. You have so many tourists who can come in and help our economy and for us to find out that we give people in Canada much more freedom, it doesn't bode well," he said.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced a bill this week that would correct the inequity by increasing the time a Mexican laser visa holder can stay in the United States to six months -- the same as for Canadians. Cornyn predicted the change would help commerce.

"I see no reason that we should treat citizens
and nationals of our northern neighbor differently from our southern neighbor," he said.
A similar bill by Cornyn failed to pass in 2004 but led to a policy change that increased the time limit on laser visas from 72 hours to the current one month.

To now increase the time to six months may be little more than a symbolic gesture. That's because Canadians are also not limited by space. They can go anywhere in the United States, whereas Mexicans on laser visas must stay within 30 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Not many visitors stay that long in El Paso.

"Most of our customers don't come to stay two to three weeks, but two to three days. So I don't think it will have a great deal of impact on us," said Mike Shoffit, general manager at the Holiday Inn Airport in El Paso.

The Cornyn bill does not propose to allow laser visa holders to travel past the border region. Mexican nationals must apply for an I-94 visa to travel to the interior of the United States.

Lopez, who is also an executive board member of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce and on the board of directors of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, could still think of a few scenarios that could boost retail under Cornyn's proposal. For instance, Mexican nationals could come to El Paso to undertake lengthy medical procedures and their family members could join them for a vacation and to shop.

"They wouldn't be as concerned with limiting their stay," he said.

In El Paso, an estimated 11.3 percent of retail sales can be attributed to Mexican shoppers, according to calculations by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' El Paso branch. In Downtown El Paso, an estimated 70 percent of shoppers are travelers from Mexico, but most are on a day trip.

A study by the Center for Border Economic Studies at the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas, found that more than half Mexican visitors came to Texas for a day trip and more than one-third came for one to seven nights. Mexican pedestrians, car and bus passengers were more likely to come for shorter periods. But 17 percent of airplane passengers stayed eight or more nights in Texas.

In Texas, the economic impact of these travelers was $3.1 billion in sales and $416.9 million in taxes in 2004, according to the same study.

Cornyn said laser visa holders should be allowed more privileges because they have been screened. Both Texas senators are backing the bill.

"Laser visa holders undergo a thorough security screening process before they enter the U.S. Providing them the same length-of-stay opportunities as Canadian visitors is good security and economic policy," said U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, a co-sponsor of the bill.

Louie Gilot may be reached at lgilot@elpasotimes.com, 546-6131.



Bill

Continued from 1F



Please see Bill 4F






Laser visas

Juárez was the first consulate to issue the laser visas, which replaced the border crossing cards in 1998, and has issued about 1 million.

The visas now allow people to stay in the United States within 30 miles of the border for up to a month to shop or visit.

They are valid for 10 years and officials expect that 4 million to 6 million will be renewed between 2008 and 2011.

U.S."Consulate in Juárez: 924 Lopez Mateos Avenue North, Juárez; (0-11-52-656) 611-3000; http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov.

Source: El Paso Times archives.



The Secure Border Crossing Card Entry Act
The Secure Border Crossing Card Entry Act of 2007 or S. 422

Modifies the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure that MexicansÊwith border crossing cards (laser visas) who have completed security screening receive the same period of time in the U.S. as Canadians -- six months.

Retains the secretary of Homeland Security's authority to set, by regulation, the length of time such individuals can be in United States.

Gives the secretary of Homeland Security flexibility to shorten or lengthen admission periods on a case-by-case basis if good cause exists.

Bars eligibility for the six-month admission period if the foreign national is inadmissible, has previously violated his or her non-immigrant status, or the laser visa was not processed through a machine reader at the U.S. port of entry or land border.

Source: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/business/ci_5138786

How long does a US citizen get to stay in Canada or Mexico? Where's my laser VISA?

Geez, is there no end to the pandering to business interest and Mexican nationals? What business could these folks possibly have in the United States that would take up to six months to conclude? I'm sure these laser visas don't allow them to work here. How do they support themselves for six months with no income? Are these laser visas only for folks wealthy enough to shop for six months?

One thing the six months could possibly do is make them more comfortable here and less likely to return home.

NO! A 3-4 month pregnant woman can cover that up when crossing the border and have a lazer visa anchor baby!

Not only that, look at the additional burdens it is putting on DHS to grant permission conditions. Like they don't already have enough to do regarding the border.

Is there no end to this supidity? This is bad policy!

Dixie

Dixie wrote:

Is there no end to this supidity?

What I find very unsettling is there does not seem to be one.....it just goes on and on.... and gets stupider and stupider!

Originally Posted by Dixie

NO! A 3-4 month pregnant woman can cover that up when crossing the border and have a lazer visa anchor baby!

Not only that, look at the additional burdens it is putting on DHS to grant permission conditions. Like they don't already have enough to do regarding the border.

Is there no end to this supidity? This is bad policy!

Dixie

It's not stupidity, its an extension of the multiple plots being considered as policy in order to assist illegals in ignoring the law. The same can be said about "comprehensive immigration". They have no clue who is here, no real method of verifying these people are who they claim to be and yet they are supposed to be capable of proving they have been here for more than 5 years, pay a fine and after that receive what amounts to amnesty. Americans are being led to the slaughterhouses daily by those who are supposed to protect us and enforce our laws and constitutional rights.

What I find very unsettling is there does not seem to be one.....it just goes on and on.... and gets stupider and stupider

And

That's the upbeat view.


This is out and out theft
This is out and out selling us out





Neils
9:04 am
02/03/2007

All I can say is BLAHHHHH they all make me sick. I say if we as Americans have no rights and no say, to Heck with giving the Law breaking Nasty No Good Illegas any kind of VOICE whatsoever. MOD EDIT. HEY BUSH AND ALL YOU OTHER IDIOTS.....
BUILD THE FENCE or face the CONSIQUINCES


GOD BLESS THE MINUTEMEN