(Edited translation of a February 4, 2004,
piece from Notimex, the Mexican government news service.)
Senators doubt possibility of a U.S.-Mexico immigration
accord
Mexican senators Silvia Hernández (PRI) and Raymundo
Cárdenas (PRD) believe, following a meeting with members of congress in the U.S., that conditions do not exist in order for
Mexico and the U.S. to initiate the debate on an immigration agreement in 2004.
Hernández said her perception is that the atmosphere
in the U.S. Congress “does not favor beginning the debate, much less does it appear that a vote might be expected this
year.”
“At this time the immigration road is a dirt
track, not a paved highway. It is a dirt road that leads the way, but the conditions
are still not there to think optimistically this year. A great deal of work remains,”
she said.
Speaking on behalf of a group of Mexican senators
who are in Washington to lobby in favor of the immigration reform proposal of President George W. Bush, Hernández reiterated
that there is little chance of the subject being analyzed this year by the U.S. Congress due to a resurfacing of anti-immigrant
attitudes.
“The subject is acknowledged but the mood is
not positive in order to move the legislation forward immediately — although there is interest,” she explained. “The term agreement does not exist in the vocabulary of the American congress,
I mean that it does not exist in the political vocabulary of the congress,” she said.
“I do not see much work on drafting legislation
for the proposal of President Bush,” echoed Senator Cárdenas.
Still, the Mexican legislators will continue to lobby
in favor of immigration reform with U.S. senators, including Chuck Hagel, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a
promoter of the bipartisan immigration bill; John Kyl, a member of the Judiciary Committee; Jeff Sessions, chairman of the
U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary (Group) and a member of the Judiciary and Armed Services committees; Richard J. Durbin; John
Cornyn; Larry Craig; Chris Dodd; Dianne Feinstein; and others.
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