Twice today, the president of Mexico strongly criticized Arizona's controversial immigration law, following his arrival in Washington to attend a state dinner in his honor tonight. Felipe Calderon's first dig at the law came in a short speech at a welcoming ceremony on the White House south lawn; the second occurred during a joint press conference with President Obama this afternoon.
Speaking through a translator at the welcoming ceremony, Calderon called for "a border that will unite us instead of divide us," and then noted that Mexicans are "still living here in the shadows." He said the Arizona law "is forcing our people to face discrimination."
In the joint press conference after the two heads of state talked, Calderon again turned to the law, saying his country rejects the criminalization of immigration.
Well duh there are here Illegally??
"In Mexico we are and continue to be respectful of the internal policies of the United States ... but we will retain our firm rejection of criminalizing migration so that people who work and provide things for the nation will be treated as criminals, and we oppose firmly the SB 1070 law," he said.
President Obama, who has previously stated he thinks the policy is misguided, again expressed reservations about it, saying that the Justice Department is close to submitting its examination of the law to see if it violates civil liberties or the Constitution.
Obama called the law, which makes it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant, a "misdirected expression of frustration with our immigration system that has raised concern in both countries," and later said he thinks it has "the potential of being applied in a discriminatory fashion."
"No person should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like," he said.
Again..if you are looking for Mexican illegals who you going to ask a black or white guy? Better odds of asking a Mexican looking person...might catch more...
Speaking through a translator at the welcoming ceremony, Calderon called for "a border that will unite us instead of divide us," and then noted that Mexicans are "still living here in the shadows." He said the Arizona law "is forcing our people to face discrimination."
In the joint press conference after the two heads of state talked, Calderon again turned to the law, saying his country rejects the criminalization of immigration.
Well duh there are here Illegally??
"In Mexico we are and continue to be respectful of the internal policies of the United States ... but we will retain our firm rejection of criminalizing migration so that people who work and provide things for the nation will be treated as criminals, and we oppose firmly the SB 1070 law," he said.
President Obama, who has previously stated he thinks the policy is misguided, again expressed reservations about it, saying that the Justice Department is close to submitting its examination of the law to see if it violates civil liberties or the Constitution.
Obama called the law, which makes it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant, a "misdirected expression of frustration with our immigration system that has raised concern in both countries," and later said he thinks it has "the potential of being applied in a discriminatory fashion."
"No person should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like," he said.
Again..if you are looking for Mexican illegals who you going to ask a black or white guy? Better odds of asking a Mexican looking person...might catch more...
