So Mexican President Calderon, President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Harper met this week to discuss border issues and trade between the three countries.  The most glaring omission from all the pomp, circumstance and photo ops seems to be this:  Where is President Calderon's shame that so many millions of Mexicans are fleeing Mexico?  Who is he to come here and lecture us on our immigration LAWS while massive numbers of his population are sneaking across the border in the back of semi trucks or on foot through the desert.  I keep reading article after article after article and rarely do you see the term ILLEGAL and immigration together in the same sentence when that's exactly what's occurring.  It's apparently not politically correct to even invoke our own laws when addressing this issue.  Is it any wonder we share a border and yet why are US citizens not flocking in droves to Mexico City; moving their families and building a life there?  Why isn't Bill Gates based there?  Or Disney? Or  Starbucks?  I'm not quite sure what the purpose of Prime Minister Harper being involved.  It's not as if millions of US citizens are streaming illegally into Manitoba. 

We hear over and over again the "cheap labor" aspect of the ILLEGAL immigration debate.  According to President Calderon that's all he seems to be able to offer in the way of his countrymen.  That would be insulting to me if I were a Mexican.  

As to feeding our local economies?  If we take into account the burden on our government services, hospitals and schools, then subtract the millions of dollars being sent back to Mexico it may be more of a "wash" than people realize.  President Calderon must be thrilled to pieces that the US is essentially providing "welfare" dollars to an entire population in his own backyard.  

I have no issue with immigration - we are a great nation because of it.  If anyone wants to become an American citizen they should do so - LEGALLY.  I'm sure the "huddled masses" who came through Ellis Island were not happy to step off a hellish ocean voyage only to stand in lines with nothing but the clothes on their backs and half starved while they were grilled on thier country of origin, health and perhaps even asked to change their names.  But that's exactly what they did.  They stood and were counted.  As ANY LEGAL immigrant should be.

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