U.S. plans to ship illegal immigrants deep into Mexico

Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 2.21.04

[ambrose]

U.S. plans to ship illegal immigrants deep into Mexico

By SUSAN FERRISS

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 02/20/04

MEXICO CITY -- U.S. and Mexican officials agreed Friday to tighten security along their border and devise a plan to repatriate illegal immigrants to their home states in the interior of Mexico rather than deporting them to cities along the border.

"Together we need to reinforce secure and orderly repatriation of migrants to their places of origin," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Friday after talks with Mexican Interior Secretary Santiago Creel.

Ridge said Mexico has offered extraordinary cooperation with the United States. The two sides agreed to beef up border patrols and cooperate more closely to identify potential terrorist threats. U.S. concerns about airport security led to the cancellation of two U.S.-bound flights from Mexico City in December.

U.S. agents deport thousands of illegal immigrants a month to Mexican cities just across the U.S. border. From there, migrants usually try to cross again. Repeat attempts are often part of the deal migrants cut with smugglers.

The proposal to return illegal immigrants to locations deep into Mexico could generate controversy since Mexico's constitution forbids restrictions on its citizens' travel inside the country.

Creel said that because of the constitutional provision, migrants would probably have to volunteer, not be forced, to accept a bus or plane ride back to their state of origin.

In Georgia, the change may have little effect because illegal immigrants face little chance of being deported.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said recently it has about 45 agents assigned to enforce immigration laws in Georgia, a state with an estimated 228,000 illegal immigrants.

Pedro Gomez, a Mexican native who owns a sporting goods store in Forest Park, said Friday he cannot remember the last time he heard of authorities deporting an illegal immigrant in metro Atlanta.

Until now, he said, immigrants who were deported promptly returned.

"It's what all the people do. It's natural," Gomez said. "If today in Georgia, immigration took 100 Mexican people and sent them back to Mexico, they would be back here next week."

The governments would like to start the new repatriation plan by this summer. Ridge said it's uncertain which country would pay for the flights or bus rides or how many migrants a day would be transported back into Mexico.

Creel said Mexico's government agreed to try the new repatriation plan because of "human rights" concerns. The Mexican government accepts the premise that if migrants are moved away from the border, fewer deaths might occur.

Ridge said he is confident the plan will be worked out.

Last September, U.S. immigration authorities detained more than 6,200 migrants along the Arizona border and deported them south of Texas.

The experiment, which was supposed to deter migrants from making the dangerous crossing through the Arizona desert, angered Texas authorities.

[beckysueb]

Its about time. Looks to me like 45 agents could work on fewer than 300,000 illegals. It would take time but it would stop more from coming in if they thought they would be deported. Thats the key. Let them know theres no place to hide anymore and I think Bush is working on this. Of course, the liberals are fighting everything we do to try to close off rhe borders.

[livius]

Talk about a biased headline! These people came from "deep in Mexico" in the first place; they're simply being taken back home.

I think the important thing about this is that it shows Bush is getting the cooperation of Mexico. All the "seal the border" ranting aside, it just isn't possible unless Mexico cooperates from its side, and Mexico has been very reluctant to do so until now. This is definitely progress.

[lentulusgracchus]

U.S. and Mexican officials agreed Friday to tighten security along their border and devise a plan to repatriate illegal immigrants to their home states in the interior of Mexico rather than deporting them to cities along the border.

Best idea I've heard for a while, if they follow through on it.

Put 'em on big ships and run them from Corpus and Galveston down to Vera Cruz or Campeche, or Puerto Angel in Oaxaca on the Pacific side.

[Z-28]

Cool ... all expenses paid trip home for Christmas :)

[lentulusgracchus]

It would take time but it would stop more from coming in if they thought they would be deported. Thats the key.

That, and toughening up on employers who are hiring them by the thousands in the first place. In small-town Georgia, those employers would stand out like the Washington Monument. Everyone in those towns knows who's doing it.

[NewRomeTacitus]

"it just isn't possible unless Mexico cooperates from its side"

Oh, I don't know. Mexico's disapproval sure didn't stop Eisenhower back in the day. Then again, he used the military to insure a civil and humanitarian mass deportation.

[Prime Choice]

We're still working the bugs out of the deportation system...

[azhenfud]

"Pedro Gomez, a Mexican native who owns a sporting goods store..."

If Gomez lost his Sporting Goods store from Federal/state seizure of his property (he's prima facie guilty of forgery and tax fraud, in addition to his illegal status) and sent home with nothing, his incentive for returning next week would be dramatically lessened...

[azhenfud]

ROTFLOL!!!

[azhenfud]

I've thought about someone should try starting an organization where citizens give particulars of companies/people hiring Illegaliens, and publishing their names and those incidents in local newspapers as well as copying the USBICS.

[Finalapproach29er]

I'm not fooled.

When they start arresting employers w/illegals, then I'll take them seriously-not until.

[lentulusgracchus]

"USBICS"?

[livius]

Things were a lot different in Eisenhower's day - on so many levels I scarcely know where to begin!

I think in general that the only way to keep some control over the southern border (and remember, even our northern border is pretty porous - we just don't have a lot of Canadian immigrants quite yet) is if Mexico is serious about preventing deportees from simply turning around and going back and cracks down on the corruption that encourages people smuggling.

A lot of these border-crossers won't be going back to villages in Mexico because a lot of them are not Mexicans in the first place. I don't know what happens to these people - perhaps they will be returned to a jail in Mexico to await deportation from Mexico?

[Leisler]

U.S. plans to ship illegal immigrants deep into Mexico

"...hola! Hola you chevy stealing guatlamaln piece of..pull your riser..get awyaaaa..."

[voicereason]

Ridge said Mexico has offered extraordinary cooperation with the United States.

Probably something along the lines of putting up a color-coded system to let us know when there is going to be an increase in the number of illegals crossing into the U.S.

That's something Ridge can understand.

[voicereason]

When they start arresting employers w/illegals, then I'll take them seriously-not until.

I think a start would be to at least start talking about about how to "secure" the border.

[azhenfud]

Isn't that the alphabet they're now using for the former INS? It's now known as US Bureau of Immigration and Citizenship Services - we've "consolidated" the "INS" into the "USBCIS"....

[azhenfud]

Oops, that's "USBICS"