WASHINGTON - Mexican President Vicente Fox opened a three-day state visit Wednesday by publicly prodding President Bush to come up with a plan this year to ease U.S. immigration laws, surprising his host at a White House welcoming ceremony.
U.S. officials declined to commit to Fox's quick timetable. Although both presidents want to make it easier for Mexican workers to enter the United States legally, Bush has said that any attempt to change immigration restrictions will take time.
Negotiators from the United States and Mexico have been trying for months to come up with a guest-worker program that also deals with undocumented workers who are already in the United States. Bush has ruled out blanket amnesty. Guest workers are admitted legally to perform specific jobs, such as harvesting crops, and are required to return home when the work is done.
Saying migrant workers make "a daily contribution to the prosperity of this great nation," Fox said "the time has come" to recognize their worth. Although U.S. officials knew that Fox hoped to complete the negotiations this year, his decision to make the goal public increased pressure on Bush for action.
"We must, and we can, reach an agreement on migration before the end of this very year," Fox said.
Bush offered no public response to Fox's proposed timetable. Without ruling it out, other U.S. officials made it clear that they would not be bound by his target. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said: "It has to be done right, not just quickly."
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Fox uncorked the goal during an elaborate welcoming ceremony punctuated by a 21-gun salute on the White House South Lawn.
Standing beneath a brilliant blue sky, with the flags of their countries fluttering behind them, the two leaders agreed that the United States and Mexico are at a unique stage in an often-strained relationship.
"I have come to Washington today as the president of a democratic Mexico, of a Mexico determined to become a prosperous, secure nation, open to the world," said Fox, whose election last year ended the 71-year reign of the Institutional Revolutionary Party.
Bush said Fox's election and expanding trade and immigration from Mexico to the United States have brought the neighboring nations closer than ever before. He said he selected Fox for the first state visit of his administration in "recognition that the United States has no more important relationship in the world than the one we have with Mexico. . . .
"Some have described the century that just passed as the American century. Now we look forward. We have a chance to build the century of the Americas."
Immigration is a top priority for Fox, whose domestic popularity has been slipping as the U.S. economic slowdown ripples through Mexico's economy. He also has had trouble getting what he wants from the Mexican Congress, where his National Action Party is in a minority.
Any change that improved the status of Mexican immigrants would undoubtedly help Fox's standing at home. Not only is it an emotional issue with the Mexican public, but many also depend on the money their relatives in the United States send home.
In pushing for fast action, Fox acknowledged that implementing the changes could take until the end of his six-year term. He said his goal is a plan that benefits workers and ends illegal immigration.
After retreating to the Oval Office for private talks, Bush and Fox presided over a joint U.S.-Mexico Cabinet meeting that focused on trade, law enforcement, immigration, illegal drugs and other cross-border issues.
Mexican Attorney General Rafael Macedo de la Concha said officials from both countries endorsed an alternative to the U.S. Congress' annual review of Mexico's efforts to fight illegal drugs.
The yearly debate is resented in Mexico, and many U.S. lawmakers question its value. The alternative plan would let the Organization of American States evaluate anti-drug efforts throughout the hemisphere.
That development was the clearest indication to date of Bush's willingness to change the certification process. Any change would require congressional approval.
On Wednesday night, Fox and his wife, Marta, were to star at the first state dinner of Bush's presidency. The guest list included actor Clint Eastwood, cyclist Lance Armstrong, Dallas Mavericks basketball player Eduardo Najera, television news anchor Brit Hume of Fox News, tenor Placido Domingo and Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green.
Bush also invited his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and his Mexican-born wife, Columba. The Mexican-flavored menu included an appetizer of Maryland crab and chorizo pozole, followed by pepita-crusted bison and poblano whipped potatoes.
Tribune Media Service
