By Carmen J. Gentile
RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazil will host a meeting of Latin America and Arab leaders, including new Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, in an effort to promote greater economic integration between the two regions and talk diplomatic goals.
But there are indications that the United States and Israel are concerned the summit could become a platform to attack U.S. and Israeli policies in the Middle East.
A summit declaration, to be released Wednesday, could strain relations between South America and the United States if it is seen to tacitly back groups such as Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas, which Washington classifies as terrorist organizations.
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Non-Mexican immigrants pour into Valley Federal officials say Central, South Americans may become majority of illegal crossers
By SERGIO CHAPA
The Brownsville Herald
May 8, 2005 — Brazilians, Central Americans and others are expected to overtake Mexican nationals as the largest group of undocumented immigrants entering the Rio Grande Valley.
Although some federal authorities said the demographic shift has already happened, figures given to The Brownsville Herald this month show the number of OTM (Other Than Mexicans) immigrants detained in Deep South Texas has exploded in the last two years but remains slightly behind the number of Mexican nationals.
Border Patrol officials said the number of OTMs detained in the Valley could overtake undocumented Mexican immigrants in the next few months or sometime in the next fiscal year.
U.S. Consul John Naland in Matamoros says the shift has already happened.
“It is very much an area of concern for the U.S. government,” Naland said.
“There has been a sharp increase in OTMs who are transiting (crossing through) Mexico and illegally entering into the United States.”
Naland said a growing number of Brazilians and other foreign nationals are using lax visa requirements for travel into Mexico as a “trampoline” to illegally enter the United States — the prominent theory for the recent influx of Brazilian immigrants to this country.
Brazil is one of 45 countries whose citizens are not required to present a passport to enter Mexico.
Others include Germany, Argentina, Canada, Chile, South Korea, Spain, Great Britain, South Africa and America.
Although the State Department would welcome Mexico to tighten its immigration laws, Naland said the choice is ultimately up to the Mexican government.
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http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=65086_0_10_0_C