A group of Mexican senators- get this!– will visit Georgia calling for repeal of the state’s tough immigration control laws, with one claiming that they “poison” the relationship between our country and Mexico. What a laugh!
Never mind that a Georgia State University economist estimates $2.1 billion of the state’s $16.5 billion budget goes to support illegal immigration-related costs and enforcement. Georgia, according to the Department of Homeland Security website, has more illegal aliens than Arizona.
The Mexicans’ publicity stunt led me to research the toughness of their country’s laws. Here’s what Mexico’s “Law on Population” contains:
• Mexico welcomes only foreigners who will be useful to Mexican society. Immigration officials must “ensure” that “immigrants will be useful elements for the country and that they have the necessary funds for their sustenance” (Article 34). Furthermore, Article 37 says foreigners may be barred from the country if their presence upsets “the equilibrium of the national demographics.” Can you imagine the uproar if our Congress debated, let alone passed, such a stipulation?
• Mexican authorities must keep track of every single person in the country. Article 73 says federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with immigration authorities in assisting with the arrest of illegal immigrants.
• Foreigners with fake papers, or who enter the country under false pretenses, may be imprisoned (Article 116).
• Foreigners who fail to obey the rules will be fined, deported and/or imprisoned as felons (Article 117).
• Illegal immigration is a felony (Articles 123, 125).
• Mexicans who help illegal aliens enter the country are themselves considered criminals under the law. For example, a Mexican who marries a foreigner with the sole objective of helping the foreigner live in the country is subject to up to five years in prison (Article 127).
Here’s what the Mexican Constitution also says:
• Non-citizens cannot participate in the country’s political life (Article 33). Non-citizens are also forbidden to participate in demonstrations or express opinions in public about domestic politics.
• There are no equal employment rights to immigrants, even legal ones, in the public sector (Article 32).
• Fundamental property rights are denied to foreigners. Article 27 states: “Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters and their appurtenances, or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or of waters….”
• An immigrant who becomes a naturalized Mexican citizen can be stripped of his Mexican citizenship if he lives again in the country of his origin for more than five years (Article 37).
• Foreigners may be expelled for any reason and without due process. According to Article 33: “The Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action.”
Clearly, Mexico’s immigration laws are far tougher than the United States. Yet its sanctimonious legislators will spin gullible American journalists about how they somehow hold the high road with regard to their immigration laws.
If anything, our Congress ought to adopt some of Mexico’s tough laws, with the hope that continued citizen pressure will push the next presidential administration to enforce them.
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