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LOU DOBBS TONIGHT
First Man Charged in Oil-for-Food Scandal; Rice Faces Tough Questions on Iraq
Aired January 18, :00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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DOBBS: The Mexican government has made yet another outrageous demand of the United States. A top Mexican government official told Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge Mexican workers have the right to work in the United States, to receive benefits and return to their home country. Mexico, in fact, is demanding the United States relax its immigration policy and standards.
Casey Wian has the report from Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the last scheduled meeting between U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Mexican Interior Secretary Santiago Creel before Ridge leaves office in two weeks.
TOM RIDGE, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: I like being his amigo.
WIAN: For advocates of tighter border controls, the chummy relationship can't end soon enough, as both officials continue to push for a freer flow of people and goods across the U.S. border with Mexico.
SANTIAGO CREEL, MEXICAN INTERIOR SECRETARY (through translator): The government of President Fox will continue to work with his American counterpart until we can come to a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) agreement. We have proposed as a government five central points.
WIAN: Those demands are what he calls the regularization of Mexican undocumented workers in the United States, a temporary worker program, an increase in the number of visas for Mexicans, better economic development of the border region and proper human rights for migrants.
Creel cited Arizona's Proposition 200, which prohibits illegal aliens from receiving state benefits, as incompatible with human rights.
Ridge has his own list, 11 examples of progress the two nations have made under their join border action plan. Most involve things like new technology, more vehicle lanes and expanded hours of operation to move traffic across the border faster.
Only three of the 11 dealt with stopping illegal aliens from sneaking into this country. Ridge embraces the idea of a guest worker program that would grant legal status to millions of illegal aliens already in the United States.
RIDGE: The president of the United States believes that with the help of the Congress, with their working together to create a temporary worker program, that will further enhance security and facilitate the integration of the economies of two great economic partners.
WIAN: But he acknowledges the idea remains a tough sell in Congress.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Secretary Ridge also seemed to search for common ground with opponents of the guest worker program, saying in his opinion there must be strong enforcement provisions, including sanctions against employers who hire illegal aliens outside of the program. He says the failure to do that is the reason the last mass legalization in 1986 failed to control illegal immigration -- Lou.
DOBBS: Well, that's certainly a contributing factor, as you point out, Casey, but hardly the whole story. The -- I take it the Homeland Security chief didn't mention perhaps controlling the nation's borders?
WIAN: No, he really -- he really didn't say much about that at all. He had a couple references to it, but most of the discussion was focused on trade and ways to facilitate more cross-border traffic faster -- Lou.
DOBBS: Am I correct in noting that of the five items the interior minister brought forward there, all five would be the responsibility of the U.S. government, not the Mexican government?
WIAN: Absolutely. It's a very interesting point that you make. The Mexicans are demanding the U.S. government take actions, but it seems that the Mexicans are willing to offer very little in the way of action on their own, and the U.S. isn't demanding much of them on the other side.
DOBBS: Thank you very much.
Casey Wian.
That brings us to . The question tonight: Do you believe the Bush administration should inform Mexico's interior secretary that there is no right for Mexican citizens to work in this country? Yes or no. Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results for you later in the broadcast.
The moos liberal federal appeals court in the country has rejected a request to block Arizona's Proposition 200, the proposition that's so offends the Mexican government. That law bars illegal aliens from voting or receiving public benefits.
The Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund petitioned the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to stop enforcement of the law. A two-judge panel rejected the petition without ruling on or considering the constitutionality of the law. Proposition 200 in effect. The millions of illegal aliens in this country are adding to the tremendous strain on our health-care system. Emergency health care for illegals cost the United States more than $1 billion every year. In our special report, "Assault on the Middle Class," tonight, rapidly rising health-care costs have forced 45 million Americans to do without even basic health insurance.
Lisa Sylvester reports.
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