From the Arizona Daily Star's "Decision 2002" interview page

(Excerpt of questions asked of Mechista Raul Grijalva -- D-AZ)

What course of action do you propose to address illegal immigration?

Immigration is a very complex issue, and to ignore the issue is the worst mistake this country could make. Simply talking about enforcement, closing down the border, preventing people from coming here, has not worked, is not working, will not work. You can tell that by the record number of people who have died in the Tucson/Yuma sector of the border this year.

I would suggest that the best way to handle this issue of immigration would be to do it comprehensively, to bring national attention to it, and to begin to make some basic, fundamental reforms in the immigration law, beginning with the issue of amnesty, and formulate a comprehensive border policy.

The U.S. and our neighbors in the hemisphere should convene annual meetings to develop strategies to create economic opportunities in the poorest regions of the Americas. The governments of the hemisphere need to include people of the communities they are supposed to help in every stage of the development process, so that the process is driven by the community's needs and is responsive and accountable to the community. Right now, development is driven by the interests of multinational corporations, whose only concern is getting the cheapest labor they can.

Until we look at and act on the big picture, we will continue to be in reactive mode in policymaking, and we will continue to see people dying in the desert while seeking work.

What should U.S. foreign policy toward Mexico be?

The U.S. policy toward Mexico should be a full and equal partnership. From this foundation, we can create true economic development, and protect the mutual interests of both countries. The public policy interest of both countries will never evolve absent consistent and active governmental participation and leadership.

Foreign policy is increasingly focused on economics and trade. And for Mexico, this has meant U.S. experts telling Mexico to follow what is called the "neoliberal" economic model. The basic idea of the model is that the government cuts services to balance budgets and keeps a tight monetary and fiscal policy, while they invite foreign corporations to come in under any conditions, with no standards for workers wages and working and living conditions. This is called "encouraging Free Trade".

This economic policy has produced much misery and chaos throughout Latin America, the most spectacular recent example being the virtual collapse of the economy of Argentina, which was held up as the textbook example of neoliberal development.

The most important change we can make in our foreign policy toward Mexico and all of Latin America is to stop coercing our neighbors into adopting economic policies that have caused so much poverty and suffering, and begin to move toward a foreign policy that emphasizes mutual respect among nations and the right of governments to choose economic policies that prioritize the wellbeing of their people over the bottom line of foreign corporations.

Red DotMore on this Mecha-boy
Red DotRead entire Arizona Daily Star article

|  | |