Alto Arizona: National Day of Action Against SB1070

There is a not so simple answer to your question Robert.

Whereas a Canadian citizen can enter the US by showing a passport or enhanced driver's license, Mexican's are treated differently. Our government and the civil service types that work for the State Department, have this foolish notion that there are 100,000,000 Mexican citizens straining at the border to come to this country.

Most of the Mexicans coming here illegally would not have a chance in hell of doing so legally. First, they can't prove sufficient ties to Mexico to show they would return once their visa had expired. This includes property ownership, money in the bank, familial ties, and a work history from IMSS (Mexico's Social Security)

Also, the cap on "guest workers", at present about 60,000 slots, which is filled within hours of being announced, prevents them from doing it legally. That is one of the best arguments there is for immigration reform featuring a guest worker program based upon the needs of industry and agriculture. The Agjobs bill would go a long way towards resolving this problem.

You know, before 9/11, when certain groups found there was money to be made with the immigration debate, we didn't have the perceived problems we have now. Mexicans came, illegally of course, worked a few months, went home for the holidays. Some returned, some didn't and those who didn't were replaced with another group. It was cyclical. These were good hard working men and women, necessary to our economy, whose only goal was to work awhile, save some money and return to Mexico to build a house and start a business. It worked for America and it worked for the migrants who came and went.

Another big problem preventing some from coming legally is the rules that are in place. If someone wants something as simple as a laser visa, a card that allows them to cross the border to shop or visit family, but restricts them to the 28 mile frontier zone, there are rules in place to apply, but the final decision is up to a low level employee of the Consulate or Embassey where they applied.

I'll give you a couple of examples.

EXAMPLE ONE: The lady in the right side bar who recently died. She applied online for her laser visa. She submitted the documentation required. Copy of her Mexican voters card. Copy of her Mexican passport which had entry/exit stamps from Denmark and other Scandinavian countries she had visited several years past. Her kids were in private school at the time and had been for years, she submitted those documents. She submitted bank and tax records showing she was solvent and employed, although self employed and she paid the $100 dollar application fee at BANCOMER. She was given an appointment for the laser visa at the Embassy in Mexico City, 4 months into the future, and told to bring all documentation. (I might add, the lady have no real desire to visit, much less live in the US. She was doing this for me to accompany me to Jazz Fest in New Orleans that year)

The day comes. We leave Celaya GTO where she was living and drive to Mexico City for the 0700 appointment. Now I'm thinking she'll be waiting in an air conditioned waiting room waiting her turn. How wrong we both were.

We arrive at the Embassy, and she is directed to the west side, where there is an awning to protect the two embassy employees sitting at tables. There is a "cattle chute" leading up to the tables. You know what I mean. The type of maze you see at ticket windows etc. There are more than 300 people waiting in line for their 0700 appointment. Ileana stands in this slow moving line for more than three hours. He turn comes. Without looking at her, the embassy employee asks for her bank receipt for the application fee, types her name into the computer, and hand her a rejection form and tells her to try again in 6 months if she's interested. Total time before an official of our government? 60 seconds tops, after waiting in line 3 hours and for the appointment for four months. Not allowed to ask any questions, not allowed any type of appeal and the decision of the embassy employee, a low level employee at that is final.

That's why when you talk about reform and people coming here legally, we need to reform the process and take the decision making away from someone who might have had a fight with his wife, a bad day or just didn't like the looks of someone.

EXAMPLE TWO:

I have a good friend here in Monterrey. Two kids. She's 45 and has held the same job for the past 19 years. She is a nurse in a critical care pediatric unit. In other words, she works with preemies and the newborns. She loves her job and plans to retire from it someday. She has money in the bank from her jobs, yes I said jobs. She is also an emergency room nurse three days a week at another hospital. She has an excellent credit record with the credit bureau in Monterrey, but her and her kids live with her invalid mother. She also was denied a visa to enter the US and shop etc. The employee of the consulate in Monterrey had his doubts if her ties to Mexico were strong enough to ensure her return.

I could go on an on, but I think you probably get the idea of the disparity Mexicans are subjected to as opposed to the Canadians. And strangely enough, Canadians feel less allegiance to Canada, when making a move than the Mexicans do to their country.

Leave them the hell alone and they will return when they're supposed to and they will play by the rules. Those that don't, lifetime expulsion. Simple as that.