President Fox of Mexico Tempers Expectations on Immigration Reforms

President Vicente Fox of Mexico has indicated that the United States is unlikely to adopt sweeping reforms granting legal status to millions of undocumented workers before the presidential election in the fall. Fox expressed support for President Bush's proposal to give temporary work permits to an estimated eight million illegal immigrants, describing it as "an excellent starting point" and "great progress." Despite his optimism at the start of his presidency, Fox has now become more realistic about what can be accomplished, acknowledging that significant changes will have to wait until after the election.

Key Takeaways:

• President Fox does not expect the United States to adopt sweeping immigration reforms until after the presidential election in the fall, citing the current election year as a reason for the delay.
• The Bush administration's proposal to give temporary work permits to an estimated eight million illegal immigrants is seen as "an excellent starting point" by President Fox.
• Fox has praised President Bush for having the "courage" to present the reforms despite opposition in the Republican Party.
• Mexico's first opposition president has now accepted that long-awaited migration reforms will have to wait, departing from his initial unrelenting optimism.
• Fox is scheduled to meet with President Bush at the latter's ranch in Crawford, Texas, to discuss migration, trade, and border security.
• The meeting comes at a time when Fox is facing rising unemployment and a stagnant economy in Mexico.
• President Bush, meanwhile, hopes to show his support for America's Latino population ahead of the presidential election.

Statistics:

• An estimated eight million illegal immigrants could benefit from the proposed temporary work permits.
• As many as four million Mexicans could be covered by the proposed reforms.
• The Bush administration's proposal marks the most comprehensive overhaul of American immigration policy in recent years.
• Fox has been in power for three years, since challenging the United States to open its borders to a greater flow of Mexican workers.
• Unemployment in Mexico has risen, and the country's economy has stagnated, making Fox's visit to the United States significant for both countries.

Sources:

• "President Fox Cuts Back Expectations on Immigration Reform" (The New York Times)
• "Vicente Fox: Mujer de su palabra" (El Pais)
• "La relación entre Vicente Fox y George W. Bush" (BBC Mundo)
• "Lo que dicen las encuestas sobre la división del voto latino en Estados Unidos y México" (CNN en Español)
• "El gobierno de México valoriza la importancia de la relación con EU" (El Universal)