TAKING ORDERS FROM MEXICO

Outgoing Mexican President Vicente Fox is upset about the 700-mile border wall that was approved by both houses of Congress last week. The bill is now headed for President Bush's signature. In case Mr. Fox didn't know, we have a bit of a problem with millions of his countrymen (and women) streaming across our border and entering this country illegally.

So El Presidente is urging Bush to veto the bill.

Hey, Amigo! This is an internal matter. Butt out!

According to a spokesman for Vicente Fox: "The Mexican government strongly opposes the building of walls in the border area between Mexico and the United States. This decision hurts bilateral relations, goes against the spirit of cooperation needed to guarantee security on the common, creates a climate of tension in border communities." If that's the case, then why have any sort of barrier at any border? Why have a border at all?

Fox, of course, opposes anything that would get in the way of the Mexican invasion of the United States. The Mexicans who come here to live and work illegally send about $15 billion a year back to their families in Mexico. This flow of money earned illegally in the United States is one of the largest segments in the Mexican economy. Fox sees that fence as a barrier to the continued flow of dollars into his country.

There's more. The border with America is an escape valve for Fox and the Mexican government. As Mexicans flow into the United States the pressure for economic reform and change in Mexico abates. Building that fence may be a lot like closing the valve on a pressure cooker. Things can get mighty agitate inside!

The only problem with the 700-mile long border fence is that it isn't 2,000 miles long...enough to cover the entire border. Vicente Fox wants no fence. We need more fence.