Mexico issues travel alert over Arizona new immigration law

[babylonsister]

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world/mexico-issues-travel-alert-over-arizona-new-immigration-law_100354774.html

Mexico issues travel alert over Arizona new immigration law
April 27th, 2010


MEXICO CITY (BNO NEWS) — Mexico on Tuesday issued a warning for its citizens about travel to Arizona because of the new immigration law.

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said that “there is an adverse political environment for migrant communities and for all Mexican visitors.”

Mexican citizens should “act with prudence and respect the local legal framework,” the message said.

Foreigners who do not carry immigration documents may be arrested and sent to immigration detention centers. Mexicans “should assume that every Mexican citizen may be harassed and questioned without further cause at any time.”

[bridgit]

1. That's a heads-up call Vicente Fox should have made

[FarCenter]

2. US State Department information for traveling to Mexico

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html

Among other things --

U.S. citizens traveling as tourists beyond the border zone or entering Mexico by air must pay a fee to obtain a tourist card, also known as an FM-T, available from Mexican consulates, Mexican border crossing points, Mexican tourism offices, airports within the border zone and most airlines serving Mexico. The fee for the tourist card is generally included in the price of a plane ticket for travelers arriving by air.

and

Upon arrival in Mexico, business travelers must complete and submit a form (Form FM-N) authorizing the conduct of business, but not employment, for a 30-day period. Travelers entering Mexico for purposes other than tourism or business or for stays of longer than 180 days require a visa and must carry a valid U.S. passport.

[timo]

3. mexico is acting childish!!

"Act with prudence and respect the local legal framework"

Shouldn't that be the norm?
Mexicans “should assume that every Mexican citizen may be harassed and questioned without further cause at any time.”
complete bullshit!!!

[babylonsister]

4. Why do you think that's complete bullshit? I think it's spot on; that's

basically what the new AZ law could do.

Watch this and get back to me:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=459104&mesg_id=459104

[shraby]

6. My question to you is why do you think this is complete

bullshit?? It's a fact of life and the Mexican government would be remiss in NOT warning it's citizens in advance of any problems they might incur by going to Arizona.
We would expect similar advice from our own government (which we do get from time to time) about travel in a foreign country about what and if there are any laws which would make us uncomfortable about going there.

[DFW]

5. That brings up an important question that AZ needs to address directly

With famous natural landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, Arizona is the destination for hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists every year, maybe millions, I don't know. I wonder how it will go over that foreign countries need to issue travel advisories to their citizens if they visit Arizona. Mexico may be the first--it certainly won't be the last. But if a cop can stop and arrest a group of affluent dark-skinned tourists from, say Brazil, and they tell their government what happened, what will that mean for the future of Arizona's tourist industry?

If tourists in Arizona get arrested for not speaking English or not having documented residences in the USA, the news will spread like wildfire through the worldwide tourist industry, and cancellations for trips to Arizona will grow faster than a fungus in a warm damp forest. This may be the wet dream of some social misfit wearing a badge, but it is a nightmare for sane officials of Arizona or the USA trying to explain to the world that we have not completely let our darkest instincts take over our society.

It is bad enough that during the Bush years, a middle-aged German tourist transiting through Texas from Mexico back to Germany was forcefully detained (she spoke no English) at Houston airport, kept for a day as a prisoner, frightened out of her wits, allowed no contact with her airline or her consulate, and treated as a dangerous illegal immigrant. It was in all the papers in Germany, and was the cause for numerous cancellations of trips to the USA in just one German travel agency I know. The very first foreign tourist to be abused by over-zealous Arizona "law enforcement" will be the cause for banner headlines worldwide, and the loss of tens of millions of dollars' worth of foreign visitors booked to visit the USA, who will cancel and rebook elsewhere. If an American were treated like this in a foreign country, the teabaggers would be out stoning that country's embassy in Washington and picketing every consulate they have around the country. To think that our embassies and consulates will enjoy a milder reaction if one of their citizens is abused in Arizona is foolish and wrong.

[FarCenter]

8. See reply #7

[FarCenter]

7. Existing Australian advice for Australian tourists visiting the United States

In 2008, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended 791, 568 foreign nationals and removed 358, 886 from the country. While waiting to be removed, an overstayer will join some 32, 000 other illegal aliens detained in facilities nationwide where they may have to wait several months before being removed. There are some 17, 500 Border Patrol Agents in the United States, 89% of which patrol the border with Mexico. If you are travelling in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or southern California, expect to have your documents inspected by authorities without warning and on a random basis, including on public transport. For further information on the penalties for ‘overstaying’, see the Entry and Exit Requirements section below.

From http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/united_states_of_america

I don't see that anything will change.