A Mexican view of U.S. immigration debate

Former Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castañeda shares his perspectives on U.S. immigration policy -- what works, what doesn't and what people ignore.
Posted on Sun, Feb. 17, 2008
BY CASEY WOODS
cwoods@MiamiHerald.com

Q. Why did you write `Ex-Mex'?

A. I thought it was important that there be a Mexican viewpoint in the U.S. immigration debate. Right now, the Mexican viewpoint is not present. There is a liberal viewpoint, a conservative viewpoint, a Latino or Hispanic viewpoint -- but strictly speaking, there is not a Mexican viewpoint. I don't pretend to be the Mexican viewpoint, but a Mexican viewpoint.

Q.In your book, you talk about the flow of labor exchange between the United States and Mexico going back to the 1890s. What are some of the surprising elements of that history that most Americans don't know?

A. First of all, that it exists and that this has been going on for a long time. In other words, many Americans seem to think that wide-scale Mexican immigration to the United States is something new. It's not.

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