Yesterday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon made his annual state of the union speech in Mexico City before the Mexican national legislature. Quote: "I want to express again an energetic protest at the unilateral measures taken by the U.S. Congress and government which exacerbate the persecution and abusive treatment of undocumented Mexican workers," Calderon said in his state of the union speech..."The Mexican government will continue to insist firmly ... on the need for an integral immigration reform and the categorical rejection of the building of a wall on our common border," Calderon said to raucous applause."
1] I'm glad he admits these workers are "undocumented." Of course, actually it means they're illegal. They are in violation of U.S. law.
2] It's therefore the United States' business as to how it handles those in America who have broken the law. Not President Calderon's.
3] One notes President Calderon isn't inviting the U.S. to give an opinion on how Mexico should handle those who illegally enter Mr. Calderon's country. But somehow he has the right to lecture the United States on how it handles its illegal immigrants.
4] Is it President Calderon's view that the U.S. somehow has an obligation to allow anyone who enters our country illegally to do so with no penalty, and to be allowed to stay as long as they wish?
I doubt it. I suspect that President Calderon said what he said in order to satisfy public opinion in Mexico. But I hope that in our diplomatic discussions, U.S. officials make the case forcefully to the Mexican government that we cannot and will not tolerate illegal immigration continuing at its current level, nor can illegal immigrants in America expect break the law and to get away with it with no penalty.
