January 26, 2006

Mexico withdraws illegal alien maps; AP calls them on lies?

Mexico has apparently decided not to give maps to their citizens showing them the best routes to cross illegally into the U.S., the AP reports. We also learn the DHS head Michael Chertoff condemned the maps.

While the Mark Stevenson report contains questionable language ("anti-immigrant groups") it also has what appears to be an attempt to call Mexico on their BS:

Miguel Angel Paredes, spokesman for the federal Human Rights Commission, said the government wanted to "rethink" its plan because human rights officials in border states expressed concern that the maps would show anti-immigrant groups _ like the Minutemen civilian patrols _ where migrants likely would gather.

"This would be practically like telling the Minutemen where the migrants are going to be," Paredes said. "We are going to rethink this, so that we wouldn't almost be handing them over to groups that attack migrants."

...Mexico is angry about U.S. civilian groups that have organized patrols along the border and has accused them of attacking migrants.

However, there is little evidence of that and the groups seldom _ if ever _ target water tanks or rescue beacons.

One of the most well-known groups, the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, placed a link to the maps on its Web site but did not advocate using them to find illegal migrants...

Also see "U.S. opposes Mexico giving maps to migrants: Chertoff".

Posted to Immigration at January 26, 2006 12:32 PM

Comments

"Human Rights Commission"

A slightly unusual notion of 'human rights' here -- the 'right' to help beforehand, e.g. here a map, when about to completely voluntarily undertake something dangerous like making a desert crossing. Not to mention the purpose: to illegally enter another country. Not to mention those providing the help/map -- officials of an ostensibly friendly government.

Anyway, all of this is more than a little dishonest and ridiculous: of course it is most definitely in the interest of Mexico to have as many of its poor as possible emigrate (legally, illegally, however), and it's obviously a lot better (less tragic, even) if they survive the trip and can commence forthwith the sending of remittances.

And none of this would matter so much if the US would step up its border and interior enforcement.

Posted by: eh at January 27, 2006 03:56 AM