Today’s quote comes to us from Mexico’s Foreign Secretary, Luis Videgaray. About the proposed wall. And it is a beaut.
Here, let me show you:
“We could explore, not necessarily a visa, that could impede a lot of people from coming to Mexico, but we could perhaps (have) a fee associated with entry. This is something that I’m sure will be part of our discussion, and I believe we can find points of agreement.”
“If the negotiation on other themes — immigration, the border, trade — isn’t satisfactory to Mexico’s interests, we will have to review our existing cooperation. This would be especially in the security areas … and that involves the national immigration agency, the federal police and of course, the armed forces.”
Luis Videgaray wins Quote Of The Day “honors” for a statement of such astonishing effrontery that it might win most obnoxious quote of the year as well.
The reason a wall has been proposed is that Mexicans, by the millions and millions (estimates range from 10 – 12 million and up) have fled Mexico, a great many of them illegally, to enter the United States and live here instead.
I have written blog after blog about the culpability of Mexico for this situation. About the obvious, inherent fact that Mexico, which is far from an indigent or third-world country, allows so many of its people to live in such squalid conditions, that, literally, 10% of its population has fled north – even though it means living in the shadows, with the threat of deportation hanging over them every day.
But you won’t hear about that from Luis Videgaray, will you? The fact that the United States – at least under Donald Trump – wants to maintain the integrity of its borders and stop the tidal wave of illegal immigration through Mexico is a problem to him. So he’s floating threats of an “entry fee” for US citizens who want to come there legally? And, unless we knuckle under and deep-six the wall, he threatens us with less cooperation?
Here’s an idea for Foreign Minister Videgaray: how about if Mexico implements that fee, we send Mexico a bill for the health care costs of every illegal alien who has come here from Mexico. Let’s see who comes out ahead.
And after he is given that proposal – after smelling salts are administered and he comes to – how about asking him what Mexico’s border policy is, and whether he’d like us to implement exactly the same one?
Then they’d have to use the smelling salts a second time.
