U.S. Ambassador to Mexico: My Hero

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Antonio Garza, issued a blunt retort last week to Mexicans' growing criticism of tougher U.S. border security measures, calling the criticism "excessive, often irresponsible and almost always inaccurate."

In a five-page New Year's statement summarizing U.S.-Mexican cooperation, Garza rejected critics' comparisons of a proposed border fence extension to the Berlin Wall and dismissed the idea that illegal immigrants have a right to seek employment in other countries.

It's all here.

Jake and I have blogged repeatedly on the infuriating responses and demands of the Mexican government whenever there is talk of building a fence along our border, or just enforcing our immigration laws in general. Check a couple out here and here.

"There is no human right to enter another country in violation of its laws," Garza wrote. "Illegal immigration is a threat to our system of laws and an affront to the millions around the world, including in Mexico, who play by the rules in seeking to come to the United States."

---SNIP---

Garza called comparisons of the border fence to the Berlin Wall "disingenuous and intellectually dishonest" and "personally offensive to me." He noted that while the Berlin Wall was meant to keep communist East Germany's own citizens from leaving, the U.S. border fences are meant to keep illegal immigrants out.

---SNIP---

"Perhaps a greater effort by other governments to discourage their citizens from illegal crossings would help," Garza wrote, while calling for "more robust efforts" at job creation in Mexico to dissuade the illegal crossers.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Illegal Immigration
Border Security
America
Mexico
Antonio Garza