Interesting ... How does Mexico treat non-natives?

What can — or should — the United States do about its “illegal immigrants”?

The question has grown in intensity amid a flood of illegals coming across the Rio Grande from Mexico.

They are so numerous it appears physically impossible and economically unrealistic to incarcerate them or deport them to their homeland.

Some form of reciprocity might be suggested. Treat our illegals the way their country of origin treats aliens from our country.

How does our neighbor of Mexico treat illegals?

Perhaps we don’t even need to go that far. Let’s examine how Mexico treats even legal, naturalized citizens if they happen to be non-natives.

While Mexico has urged the U.S. to grant unrestricted citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants from its country, it places oppressive ongoing limitations on all of its own citizens who were born outside Mexico’s borders.

A naturalized — but non-native — citizen of Mexico is denied employment as a fireman, policeman or a judge.

Non-natives, even if they are citizens, cannot serve in the Mexican armed forces or work on its merchant ships.

Holding public office, such as being a member of a town council or the legislature, is off-limits to all but native-born Mexicans.

Perhaps the next time the Mexican government suggests that the U.S. extend unrestricted rights of citizenship to illegals from its country, we should suggest that for beginners it give such rights to its own non-native — but legal — citizens.

Once Mexico agrees to clear that deck, we might agree to sit down and discuss, as starters, some kind of reciprocity.

Published in Editorials on June 22, 2006 10:59 AM