Speech #1000021873

We should also recall that our own Nations bizarre appetite for narcotics is something that is certainly not Mexicos responsibility. I comment on this issue from a slightly different perspective than do my colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee. Through my activities as former chairman of the Immigration and Refugee Policy Subcommittee. I have had extensive discussions with various Mexican officials and citizens over the years and I have come to realize that our relations are indeed multifaceted and most complex. We have another dimension with our southern neighbor now with the passage of the immigration bill and we have entered into a new era of relationship with the Mexican people because of that legislation. The tensions between our two nations might be a bit more evident than in the past because of the passage of that bill on November 6. 1986. It is very unfortunate that there are some Mexican officials who seem to feel that the United States passed the immigration legislation in a political climate. and to some it is a just another in a long list of aggressive acts against Mexico. Many simply do not believe that the United States would ever pass such legislation which would curtail the flow of undocumented workers into the United Statesthereby curtailing funds that would ordinarily be returned to their home communities of Mexico. There is also real concern there about why the United States would impact itself by the elimination of cheap labor. Some in Mexico have the terribly erroneous assumption that the immigration bill is an excuse to begin a militarization of our borders with increased law enforcement efforts. They are also extremely worried that the new law will somehow result in mass deportations of Mexicans who are now living in the United States. This country has never been involved in mass deportation. Almost 1.7 million persons were apprehended last year and only 23.000 of those were deported. and most departed voluntarily. Those of us who have been involved for many years in the legislationboth Democrats and Republicans alikeknow that these fears are unfounded. However. our pronouncements and explanations have not seemed to alleviate Mexican concerns.