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David Stanley Ford

Mexico consul urges show of joint respect
Mexico consul urges mutual respect with state

By Devona Walker    Comments Comment on this article22
Published: May 6, 2008

Increased statewide immigration enforcement has accelerated human rights violations of Mexican nationals, a consul for the Mexican government said Monday in Oklahoma City.

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Hispanic advocates Nancy Galvan and Felix Perretti, middle, talk Monday with Mexico Consul General Andres Chao at Willow Creek Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City. SARAH PHIPPS, THE OKLAHOMAN
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Andres Chao said the U.S. and Mexican governments must work together to address the growing problem of illegal immigration in such a way that benefits both countries and their citizens.

He dismissed the notion that migration to the United States is an attempt by the Mexican government to export its poverty, and said Mexico sorely misses the young workers that cross daily into the United States.

"One of our objectives is to protect and defend Mexican nationals that live in this jurisdiction,” said Chao, who opened the Mexican consulate in Little Rock, Ark., a year ago. "We are concerned about the adverse circumstances our citizens are facing in the U.S. due to the failure of comprehensive immigration reform and the rise of states generating legislation.”

The Little Rock consulate, which is the 47th nationwide, serves the Mexican nationals in Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Police are chastised
Chao has met with several state and local officials recently, including the Tulsa mayor and police chief about two months ago. Next month, he plans a meeting with the Tulsa County sheriff.

"The worst thing to happen is to involve local police with federal immigration issues. If the community thinks the police are going to put me into jail and deport me, then they are not going to want to go to the police,” Chao said, adding that is what is happening in Tulsa.

"That's why we insist that we need to work together to generate trust within the community,” he said.

‘Your gain is our loss'
Numerous human rights complaints have come out of Tulsa, reported Deputy Consul Eric Levy Witemberg. He says some of the problems arising out of Tulsa appear to be from racial profiling.

"They have so many immigration trained deputy sheriffs who are authorized to determine immigration status and they are just arresting people for anything,” Witemberg said. "With local officials sometimes, they are not familiar enough with immigration issues. Sometimes, they are not sensitive to immigration issues and in some cases it is just discrimination.

Chao and Witemberg said immigrants are coming here for work, and the solution to that problem is to increase the federal government's guest worker program and foreign investment in Mexico.

In the last year, about $23 billion of foreign investment in Mexico has included the opening of large plants for Tyson Foods and Wal-Mart. Much of the manufacturing that previously left Mexico for Asia is now returning, Chao says.

"It's very simple. This country has the markets and we have the labor. These two issues go hand in hand. Both countries need to solve this issue because there are cost and benefits for both sides,” Chao said. "In Mexico, we need to create new jobs and well-paying jobs so that immigration is not the only way out.

"Ultimately your gain is our loss. They are our best people, our brightest, our bravest and our youngest people. People we need in order to continue to grow,” Chao said.

Chao said he understands security is the No. 1 issue for the United States.

"But the migrants are not the threat; they are only here for a better life,” he said. "If we want to solve this problem, we must separate the issue of immigration and national security.”

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David Stanley Ford





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Floyd R, Purtle - May 6, 2008 7:41 AM, Well Floyd at least Beverly and I have an education! That's more that some that post here or come across our borders illegally appear to have. I think we are just tired of picking up the tab for all those dam Mexicans taking advantage of our system.
Delmer, choctaw - May 7, 2008 at 2:54 pm
mexico coud address the problem very easily, keep you people in your cuntry, give them jobs, quit being so corrupt and clean up your own act and leave our country alon
James, Myrtle Beach - May 7, 2008 at 11:50 am
I love how this guy likes to say that our law enforcement officers shouldn't be allowed to assist with the FEDs in immigration cases, but somehow they feel that the Mexican government's officials should have the say so when it comes to enforcing our laws.

They have got some balls to do that!! They keep talking about their right to defend the rights of their people while they are in our juristrictions but they don't want to us use the 14th amendment that governs citizenship. Who do these people belong too? Who do their children belong too. Who should pay for the needs of these people? If it is to be us, then why do these people think that they have any sort of say so here?
joanne, silver spring - May 7, 2008 at 8:19 am
The Mexican government is trying to meddle into the affairs of the state of Oklahoma. How dare they. Wake up!!!
Brandi, Tulsa - May 7, 2008 at 8:19 am
Illegal immigrants are costing CA taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

Education is California's single largest public expenditure and commands 42% of that state’s $150 BILLION budget. The State of California's Legislative Analyst's Office reports that of the state's 6.4 million K through 12 public school students, one out of four (illegal immigrants) is not fluent in English. Of that number, 85% are Spanish speaking (illegal immigrants). Additionally, one out of nine of these (illegal immigrant) students require special education programs.

These children of Spanish speaking foreign (illegal) immigrants increase California's K-12 enrollment by 21.3%, nearly 1.4 million (illegal immigrant) students. At $11,584 each, which is the state’s 2007-2008 budgeted allocation per student, the cost of educating these (illegal immigrant) students is $15.8 BILLION. Add in the $1.3 BILLION for special programs to accommodate non-English speaking (illegal immigrant) students, and the cost increases to $17.1 BILLION. The state's current budget deficit is projected to be $16 BILLION.

In addition, incarceration of illegal immigrants on California State Prisons costs taxpayers 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

Study Shows 25 Percent Of L.A.'s Welfare Goes To Illegal Aliens

Supervisor says county spends more than $1 billion a year on benefits to illegals.

According to new data from the Department of Public Social Services, nearly twenty five percent of Los Angeles County ’s welfare and food stamp benefits goes directly to the children of illegal aliens, at a cost of $36 million a month -- for a projected annual cost of $432 million.

“The total cost for illegal immigrants to County taxpayers far exceeds $1 billion a year – not including the millions of dollars for education,” said Antonovich. “With $220 million for public safety, $400 million for healthcare, and $432 million in welfare allocations, illegal immigration continues to have a devastating impact on Los Angeles County taxpayers.”

In March, illegals collected over $19 million in welfare assistance and over $16 million in food stamp allocations.

http://www.hometownstation.com/local...-05-02-00.html

Manadate that CA employers use E-Verify and purge the illegal immigrants, using phony SS numbers, from the workforce.
Buzz, Cupertino - May 7, 2008 at 3:57 am
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harvey, i agree totally that true law abiding immigrants are decent human beings. BUT we are talking about the criminals who slither across our borders cpompletely disregarding the laws of our nation and they are not immigrants. so stop slandering decent people
richard, oklahoma city - May 6, 2008 at 5:51 pm
harvey, i agree totally that true law abiding immigrants are decent human beings. BUT we are talking about the criminals who slither across our borders cpompletely disregarding the laws of our nation and they are not immigrants. so stop slandering decent people
richard, oklahoma city - May 6, 2008 at 5:51 pm
here we have ms walker and the unoklahoman pushing the views of a country that exports their low lifes as a product for their country. this plea for their nationals and the word immigrant do not match as an immigrant is moving lock stock and barrel to a new life. their is no need for immigration reform as when it is done legaly it works. it is the law breakers (criminals) we want out of the country and right now. per this article (it writer qualifies also) choa is down right speaking with a forked tounge and cannot tell the truth 9must of been brought up following the clintons (demoliars)
richard, oklahoma city - May 6, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I wonder how that 'colonization' worked out for the people indigenous to that area...
Kevin, Oklahoma City - May 6, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Lincoln was in favor of colonization in Liberia in West Africa for the freed slaves.
Rufus, spencer - May 6, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Chris, watch who you confront. Not everyone with black hair and dark skin is an immigrant. They might be an American Indian and there are White Mexicans. I am always surprised when I encounter one. Vigilante? You obviously don't have enough to worry about. Another thing the first tornado cloud of the season hung in the air over the fairgrounds and the blessed Ford Center. Is there a word of caution there for our booming state? I choose to believe that there is a greater power than man watching this situation. Perhaps it is the Ghost of Abraham Lincoln. I am sure President Lincoln had to listen to all sorts of descension about slavery. These illegals are human beings period.
Harvey, Oklahoma City - May 6, 2008 at 3:38 pm
how about they go back to where they come from and they won't have to worry about it. literally P*SSES me off that these jokers come here illegally and expect to be treated as American citizens with the same natural born American rights. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
Then you've got these bleeding heart immigration attorney's finding loopholes to keep illegals from being deported!
If I hear another illegal or illegal supporter scream for human rights or civil rights support for illegals, mexican or otherwise, I will gladly start a racial profiling of my own and confront ANYONE I suspect as being illegal. Pretty sad we've got to resort to being immigration vigilantes to enforce THE LAWS!
JenniRules, OakCity - May 6, 2008 at 2:51 pm
"Chao and Witemberg said immigrants are coming here for work, and the solution to that problem is to increase the federal government's guest worker program and foreign investment in Mexico." So his solution is to keep the illegal’s here and give Mexico more money. Last time I checked, Mexico live in the same reality as America. In the above article, the only problem I see is Andres Chao coming to America and stirring up trouble.
R?, Tulsa - May 6, 2008 at 12:18 pm
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I didn't see "mutual respect" in those comments either, but they might start by "respecting" our laws and coming here legally. Like Leoel, many of the legal immigrants are just as fed up with the illegals as anybody because it makes it hard on them.
Charles, Oklahoma City - May 6, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I still think we ought to offer the illegals everything Mexico has to offer to Americans wishing to live there. What? You mean I can't even own land in Mexico? Hey, did Slick Mick get a chance to offer Chao a taco from Taco Bell?
Kevin, Oklahoma City - May 6, 2008 at 11:50 am
I really don't hear "mutual" in the comments of the consul. Sounds rather whiney and one-sided to me. If "human rights violations" means we are beating these people or starving them or stripping them and putting leashes on their necks like GITMO, then, I would agree that has to be stopped and the perps hauled before our courts. If by "human rights violations" we mean Mexicans are identified as Mexicans rather than Canadians, duh. I have long disageed with Randy Terrill on this issue, and still think his approach is overkill, but I have never doubted where his real interests came from, namely the protection of the interests of Oklahomans as opposed to protecting the interests of Mexican national immigrants within our borders illegally. You want respect, you give respect. That's mutual.
Percy F., Ardmore - May 6, 2008 at 9:28 am
From a "Official Beaners Perspective" I have to whole heartily agree with James A comments. Illegal’s are a cancer which is slowly poisoning our American society. If America does not control its borders very slowly our culture and language will disappear and American will fail to exist. I have bumper sticker on my vehicle which reads "Hispanic by Birth, American by Choice" I pay my taxes, I obey the law, I have served and fought honorably for this great nation. But if America is not careful it will be devoured by these parasites "illegal’s" and we will fail to pass on this great nation to the next generation of Americans. God Bless America.
Leoel, Midwest City - May 6, 2008 at 8:02 am
I think Beverly and Delmer might have had a similar education background. /// You want to end the building boom in Oklahoma, that's a good solution. Reasonable regulation is the only solution. As long as there are jobs, whether we provide education or health or not, they'll keep coming. Many are paying thousands to "coyotes," the people smugglers, to come to America. How much better for both the American people and the Mexican migrants to have these people screened, identified and paying for enforcement of the borders against undesirables.
Floyd R, Purtle - May 6, 2008 at 7:41 am
So now arresting an illegal is a human rights violation???? Mexico has been so corrupt for so long they just don't understand right and wrong. Deport!!!
Rufus, spencer - May 6, 2008 at 7:31 am
I agree with you Delmer...send em back to their OWN country!
Beverly, Mesa - May 6, 2008 at 6:47 am
I live in Mexico and have for 7 years...the illegals crossing are not the brightest or bravest...for the most part they are hard working...but for the most part they are uneducated and are coming to seek not only a job but take advantage of the US education and health systems...Mexicans are only required to attend school through the 8th grade...there are no rocket science personal crossing the southern borders...along with myself and other gringo's here we have to jump through all manner of hoops to remain legal here...the US needs to STOP the anchor baby business...and comprehensive immigration reform can be found in any dictionary...just look up the definition of legal and compare that to illegal...
james A., san miguel de allende - May 6, 2008 at 5:42 am
I am not impressed nor do I care what the Mexcian Counsul thinks or says. I want all of them back in Mexico! Period
Delmer, choctaw - May 6, 2008 at 5:22 am

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