ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: THE QUID PRO QUO
-- National and International Affairs
THE CONSTITUTION of the United Mexican States
[This will get me flogged in the public square of Political Correctness. It matters not that I am a staunch advocate of increasing LEGAL immigration, and not just for the wealthy or uniquely talented. We are either a shining city upon the hill or we are not. But I am advocating LEGAL immigration. For a little perspective on how other nations deal with this problem, I thought I’d check the Constitution of Mexico. Here are some key provisions regarding foreigners...]
* Assembly & free speech: Non-citizens are proscribed from any demonstration or public expression of opinion about Mexico. To wit: "Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country." -- Article 33
* Employment: Forget about it. "Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners...for all employment, positions, or commissions of the Government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable.” -- Article 32
* Religion: The Mexican constitution forbids immigrants & naturalized citizens from being a member of the clergy. "To practice the ministry of any denomination in [Mexico] it is necessary to be a Mexican by birth." -- Article 130
* Property rights: Again, forget about it. "Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters, and their appurtenances, or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or of waters. The State may grant the same right to foreigners, provided they agree...to consider themselves as nationals... Under no circumstances may foreigners acquire direct ownership of lands or waters within a zone of one hundred kilometers along the frontiers and of fifty kilometers along the shores of the country." -- Article 27
* Political representation: Foreign-born, even if naturalized, Mexican citizens may not become federal lawmakers (Article 55), cabinet secretaries (Article 91) or supreme court justices (Article 95). The president of Mexico (as in the US) must be a citizen by birth, but in Mexico his or her parents must also be Mexican-born, thus preventing a first-generation immigrant, many of whom have held elective office in the US, the right to serve.
* Gaining citizenship via military service: Standard in the US, it can’t happen in Mexico. "In order to belong to the National Navy or the Air Force...it is required to be a Mexican by birth. This same status is indispensable for captains, pilots, masters, engineers, mechanics, and in general, for all personnel of the crew of any vessel or airship protected by the Mexican merchant flag or insignia.” -- Article 32 [I couldn’t find the same language for the Army...]
* Citizens’ arrest of illegals: Given the hue and cry from Mexico's leadership about American citizens watching and reporting illegal entry into the US, I found this one particularly hypocritical: "In cases of flagrante delicto, any person may arrest the offender and his accomplices, turning them over without delay to the nearest authorities." -- Article 16
* Expulsion / due process: Foreigners may be expelled from Mexico at any time, for any reason, and without due process. "The Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action." -- Article 33. Article 11 further guarantees federal protection against "undesirable aliens resident in the country."
Mexico, like every other nation -- including the US -- has the right to control its borders and regulate resident non-citizens from other nations. Personally, I’m for LOTS more immigration, the absolute strength that sets America apart from other nations, especially from our closest neighbors -- albeit legal and skill-based, rather than illegal and need-based. But how can Mexico’s political leadership lecture the US on its immigration policy when their policies read like this? It’s time for an honest dialogue on this issue.
[Sources: All OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), with special thanks to The Center for Security Policy's J. Michael Waller, Ph.D]]
[This will get me flogged in the public square of Political Correctness. It matters not that I am a staunch advocate of increasing LEGAL immigration, and not just for the wealthy or uniquely talented. We are either a shining city upon the hill or we are not. But I am advocating LEGAL immigration. For a little perspective on how other nations deal with this problem, I thought I’d check the Constitution of Mexico. Here are some key provisions regarding foreigners...]
* Assembly & free speech: Non-citizens are proscribed from any demonstration or public expression of opinion about Mexico. To wit: "Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country." -- Article 33
* Employment: Forget about it. "Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners...for all employment, positions, or commissions of the Government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable.” -- Article 32
* Religion: The Mexican constitution forbids immigrants & naturalized citizens from being a member of the clergy. "To practice the ministry of any denomination in [Mexico] it is necessary to be a Mexican by birth." -- Article 130
* Property rights: Again, forget about it. "Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters, and their appurtenances, or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or of waters. The State may grant the same right to foreigners, provided they agree...to consider themselves as nationals... Under no circumstances may foreigners acquire direct ownership of lands or waters within a zone of one hundred kilometers along the frontiers and of fifty kilometers along the shores of the country." -- Article 27
* Political representation: Foreign-born, even if naturalized, Mexican citizens may not become federal lawmakers (Article 55), cabinet secretaries (Article 91) or supreme court justices (Article 95). The president of Mexico (as in the US) must be a citizen by birth, but in Mexico his or her parents must also be Mexican-born, thus preventing a first-generation immigrant, many of whom have held elective office in the US, the right to serve.
* Gaining citizenship via military service: Standard in the US, it can’t happen in Mexico. "In order to belong to the National Navy or the Air Force...it is required to be a Mexican by birth. This same status is indispensable for captains, pilots, masters, engineers, mechanics, and in general, for all personnel of the crew of any vessel or airship protected by the Mexican merchant flag or insignia.” -- Article 32 [I couldn’t find the same language for the Army...]
* Citizens’ arrest of illegals: Given the hue and cry from Mexico's leadership about American citizens watching and reporting illegal entry into the US, I found this one particularly hypocritical: "In cases of flagrante delicto, any person may arrest the offender and his accomplices, turning them over without delay to the nearest authorities." -- Article 16
* Expulsion / due process: Foreigners may be expelled from Mexico at any time, for any reason, and without due process. "The Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action." -- Article 33. Article 11 further guarantees federal protection against "undesirable aliens resident in the country."
Mexico, like every other nation -- including the US -- has the right to control its borders and regulate resident non-citizens from other nations. Personally, I’m for LOTS more immigration, the absolute strength that sets America apart from other nations, especially from our closest neighbors -- albeit legal and skill-based, rather than illegal and need-based. But how can Mexico’s political leadership lecture the US on its immigration policy when their policies read like this? It’s time for an honest dialogue on this issue.
[Sources: All OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), with special thanks to The Center for Security Policy's J. Michael Waller, Ph.D]]
No comments:
Post a Comment