Mexican Official Touts Amnesty as a Security Booster for U.S.

Interior Minister Santiago Creel, in Washington for private meetings with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, told lawmakers and a gathering of Roman Catholic bishops that it was in the best interest of both countries to revive a proposed immigration pact placed on hold after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"There are nearly 4 million Mexicans working in the United States with no record of who they are, where they live, where they work and when they entered," Creel said in a speech to the bishops. "Does it not make sense to improve security through allowing them to become fully recognized and legal? Migrant regularization would provide the United States with a greater margin of security than the one it currently has."

Creel's broad portfolio includes internal security in Mexico and immigration. His pitch was in line with the views of many U.S.-based immigrant advocates, who argue that a new amnesty program would improve security. Since millions of people would come forward to disclose their identities, the government would be able to review their backgrounds, the advocates say.

An immigration deal with Mexico would create a "safe neighborhood" in North America, Creel said.

Lawmakers who oppose amnesty and support restrictions on immigration said they were impressed by Creel during his meeting with members of Congress but were unswayed by his arguments.

"Blanket amnesty? Absolutely not," said Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-San Diego). "If anyone [from the U.S.] goes into Mexico, [the Mexican government] wants to know who's in there. We expect the same thing."

Cunningham said he would prefer a program that returns undocumented immigrants to Mexico and lets them back into the U.S. "if they can prove they have a job, so they're not feeding off the economy's resources."

The Homeland Security Department had no comment on Creel's meeting with Ridge or on the minister's speech. Bush administration officials have said they want to continue a dialogue with Mexico on immigration. However, many observers here believe the agenda would be limited, focusing mainly on a guest worker program.