As Congress debates immigration policy, it might be useful to consider how the Republic of Mexico treats those who emigrate there.
A recent paper published by the Center for Security Policy discusses the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and how it deals with immigration. Suffice to say, Mexico is not nearly as welcoming as the United States of America. Yet Mexico objects to any serious effort to tighten border control and to enforce American immigration law.
Here are some highlights of Mexican immigration law (the article numbers refer to the Mexican Constitution):
1. Pursuant to Article 33, "Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country." This ban reaches participation in demonstrations and forbids public expression of political opinion.
2. Pursuant to Article 32, immigrants are denied equal employment rights, even if they emigrated lawfully are denied to immigrants, even legal ones. That article states as follows: "Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners under equality of circumstances for all classes of concessions and for all employment, positions, or commissions of the Government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable."
3. Also according to Article 32, immigrants, foreign guest workers and naturalized citizens may not serve as military officers, crew on Mexican-flagged maritime vessels and Mexican airlines, or chiefs of seaports and airports.
4. Article 55 prohibits immigrants from becoming a Mexican congressional representative or senator. Those lawmakers must be "a Mexican citizen by birth." And according to Article 91, no immigrant can ever become a cabinet officer since they are not Mexican by birth. And Article 95 applies this rule to Mexico's Supreme Court justices.
5. Article 130 says that no immigrant, even a legal one, can become a member of the clergy in Mexico.
6. The Mexican Constitution denies immigrants property rights. Article 27 provides that "Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters, and their appurtenances, or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or of waters."
7. Article 11 guarantees that the federal government of Mexico will protect the public against "undesirable aliens resident in the country." Moreover, private individuals are authorized to make citizen's arrests of illegal aliens and to turn them over to the authorities for prosecution.
8. According to article 33, any foreigner - not just those who have emigrated to Mexico unlawfully - may be expelled for any reason and without due process. That article states that "the Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action."
I am not advocating that the United States of America adopt similar provisions in its immigration laws. However, I do not think we should take Mexico's protestations against enforcement of our existing law, and a reasonable tightening of our border security, too seriously in light of that nation's evident willingness to place the economic and political interests of its citizens ahead of any immigrant, legal or illegal. If Mexico wants its citizens to have a better shot at prosperity, then that nation needs to reform its bloated and corrupt bureaucracies and improve its economy instead of relying on a porous American border to do the job for it.