December 10, 2006

Bill Richardson collaborating with OAS on immigration; Foreign Agent?

From the AFP:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a former UN ambassador, was named as the Organization of American States' special envoy on migration in an effort to improve US-Latin American dialogue.

..."The migration issue is key to improving relations (between Latin America and the United States," Richardson, 59, said at a news conference alongside OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza.

...Richardson, whose state borders Mexico, rejected plans backed by President George W. Bush to build a huge fence along the US-Mexico border to stop the flow of illegal immigration.

Instead, he called for comprehensive reform to regularize undocumented workers.

"Two things must take place. One, a plan to legalize the 12 million (illegal) immigrants in the United States, and I think that it is important to improve border security," he said, pointing to the need for increased patrols and more cooperation with Mexico.

(For those who don't follow this issue closely, the AFP was very misleading above. Bush is as strong a supporter of "comprehensive reform" as Richardson, and he only signed the fence bill reluctantly.)

Richardson also says that he knows Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chavez and he's willing to speak with them. Unlike others, I'll give him a pass on that, but I will second the idea that the governor of a U.S. state should not be representing a non-U.S. body, especially one that supports activities contrary to our laws namely illegal immigration. Perhaps New Mexico citizens could start a drive to make him register as a Foreign Agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Related:
ACLU claims U.S. violating human rights obligations (OAS)
Mexico, 27 OAS nations declare opposition to border fence

Posted to Immigration at December 10, 2006 03:32 AM

Comments

If the feds want to build a fence to stop illegal immigration, Richardson is all for local control. But if some small town wants to discourage illegals from coming there, people like Richardson are quick to say that immigration is a federal responsibility. In other words, heads we win, tails you lose.

Posted by: dchamil at December 10, 2006 07:25 AM

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a former UN ambassador, was named as the Organization of American States' special envoy on migration in an effort to improve US-Latin American dialogue.

I wonder how many people will see this as a plus, given his reported presidential aspirations.

What a stooge.

And I don't think what or all 'Latin America' really wants is a "dialogue".

Posted by: eh at December 10, 2006 07:43 AM

I'm not one of the necon France-bashers, but it is true that the French rarely allow facts to get in the way of a story-or an argument. Ironically, under neocon/leftist rule the US and the UK are becoming more "Frenchified" by abandoning their traditional empiricism in favor of ideology on the questions of culture, race, and immigration.

Posted by: perroazul del norte at December 10, 2006 07:46 AM

well yes that rat has always been a foreign agent in fact i have known that for over 30 years, did't you? and we have been under leftist for 40 years now.

Posted by: Fred Dawes at December 10, 2006 08:36 AM