Letter To The Editor

Note: This letter was published. Click on the link below for the source.

Mexico should close its border

10/6/02 -- San Francisco Chronicle

Editor - In some ways, the bootstrap entrepreneurial investment of immigrants in their home countries is admirable ("Family values: Government programs help Mexican workers in U.S. create jobs south of the border in their hometowns," Sept. 22).

However, the need for this capital input shows how remittance-receiving countries have become even more bloated and corrupt. Cooks and welders - shouldn't have to build industry in a rich country like Mexico. And make no mistake - Mexico is a very wealthy nation. According to the 2002 report of the Latin Business Chronicle, Mexico is home to nearly half of all Latin America's billionaires (a total of 25, of which 12 are Mexican).

Immigration has become part of Mexico's economic system, and immigrant remittances provide the second-highest source of foreign exchange, estimated at more than $9 billion last year. Without this easy money, Mexico would have to invest in its own long-neglected infrastructure and education system. The current strategy allows the rich to get richer and keeps the lower classes struggling along well enough to prevent demands for overdue reforms.

The real kindness to Mexico would be to close the border and thereby force its leadership to be more responsible toward its people. Mexico will never become self-supporting as long as it -doesn't have to. What a scam - the worse the Mexican government runs the country, the more its people escape to America and send back hoards of cash.

BRENDA WALKER
Berkeley

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