Mexican cardinal slams US plan to put National Guard on border

Mexico City, Mexico, May 22, 2006 / 22:00 pm

Cardinal Norberto Rivera of Mexico City has criticized plans by the United States to put National Guard troops on its border and said if a barrier were put up, “It would be difficult to consider that as comprehensive immigration reform.” 

The issue of immigration is complex, especially due to a lack of trust, “because history teaches us that the US government has never been helpful to Mexico,” the cardinal continued, saying he questioned whether the current administration would achieve positive immigration reform for Mexicans.

Cardinal Rivera also expressed his hope that Mexico’s government, businesses and people would all take up the challenge to address the problem of immigration, “because this is our problem,” he said.  “Immigrants are not leaving because they just feel like it.  Most of the time it is out of true necessity,” the cardinal added.

The Archdiocese of Mexico, in an editorial in its newspaper “Desde la Fe,” criticized what it called the lack of will and determination on the part of the United States, as well as the lack of energy and vision on the part of the Mexican government to resolve the immigration problem.  The article said the Catholic Church rejects proposals to build a wall to prevent illegal immigrants from crossing the US/Mexican border.