MEXICO CITY — Mexico's National Human Rights Commission is sending inspectors to U.S. border crossings to monitor deportations that might result if Arizona's new immigration law goes into effect as planned Thursday.
The law is being challenged by the U.S. government in court, but the federal judge hearing the case hasn't indicated whether she might agree to the challenge's request that the measure be put on hold.
The government's rights commission said Monday that monitors will be stationed at border gates in Tijuana across from California, Nogales next to Arizona and Ciudad Juarez and Reynosa across from Texas to ensure migrants are treated properly.
"The implementation of the Arizona Law SB1070 represents a threat to migrants' full exercise of their human rights," the commission said in a statement. "The law violates the principles of nondiscrimination, equality before the law and freedom from arbitrary arrest."
Arizona officials say the law contains safeguards against discriminatory actions in getting tough with illegal immigrants.
The law requires police, while enforcing other laws, to check a person's immigration status if there is a reasonable suspicion the person is in the U.S. illegally. It also bans people from blocking traffic when they seek or offer day-labor services on streets and prohibits illegal immigrants from soliciting work in public places.
Opponents say the law will lead to racial profiling and trample on the rights of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in Arizona. Supporters contend the law is a necessary response to combat a litany of problems they blame on illegal immigration and the federal government's inability to secure the border.
Mexico's Interior Department said Interior Secretary Francisco Blake met with U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascual on Monday to express his support for the Obama administration's challenge to the law.
On another matter involving migrants, Blake stressed that Mexico wants an adequate investigation of the deaths of two Mexican citizens in incidents involving U.S. Border Patrol officers in May and June. He asked that "cooperation on this issue be strengthened to prevent such incidents in the future," his office said.
AZMomma posted at 5:09 pm on Mon, Jul 26, 2010.
Treated PROPERLY? Shall we drive them across in air-conditioned limos and make sure they have a full course dinner before they cross?
Hey Mexico....YOUR record of Human Rights is laughable, but I guess those 'monitors' aren't there to see how lousy you treat your own citizens and migrants through your land.
Calderon is the Head Vermin and we laugh at his feeble attempt to interfere in US policies.
If this site had an emoticon for the Flying Finger, would be using it now.
[wink]
ArizonaRising posted at 5:21 pm on Mon, Jul 26, 2010.
The Mexican leadership is criminally duplicitous and simply trying to save their own skins by diverting the attention of the good people of Mexico they are exploiting onto false issues. How does the human rights record of Mexico stack up with respect to how they treat people coming into Mexico illegally? We all know the answer to that. Many Mexican officials should be in prison right now.
The people of Mexico should be marching on Mexico City right now and demanding better government from these trecherous leaders.
Slabside posted at 8:44 pm on Mon, Jul 26, 2010.
What I find ludicrous is Mexico claims they have human rights inspectors. Just how many bodies that the drug cartels have planted have been dug up in Mexico recently?
RollerCam posted at 10:12 pm on Mon, Jul 26, 2010.
These "monitors" should all be dressed with 20 inch long, blue floppy shoes, a rainbow-colored afro wig and a large, round, red rubber nose.
They're nothing more than clowns in the mexican circus, so they might as well look the part.
allamer posted at 11:07 pm on Mon, Jul 26, 2010.
"Opponents say the law will trample on the rights of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in Arizona". Well then, I guess that rules out the rights of the citizens of Arizona to enforcement of laws. Sorry citizens, no dice. Too bad for you! Laws are secondary to the rights of illegal aliens, and don't you forget it!
Masterrogue666 posted at 7:55 pm on Tue, Jul 27, 2010.
They should watch their OWN police force, and how they treat Central Americans. What's that word? Oh, yea, "hypocrite"...