Immigration, Trade, and Drug Violence the focus of Obama and Calderon Meeting this Wednesday

Though immigration has been a source of tension between the United States and Mexico for quite some time, the controversial Arizona Immigration law recently enacted has only added strain to an already precarious relationship. In order to reaffirm their commitment to comprehensive immigration reform President Obama and Mexican president Felipe Calderon will meet tomorrow in Washington to discuss what steps to take in this raging debate that has enticed their countries. Calderon is already feeling the heat of the debate, however, since he is facing pressure from some Mexican lawmakers to break commercial ties with Arizona. In itself this would be devastating news for Arizona because putting the morality of illegal entry to the states aside Arizona’s economy has become very dependent on the labor and consumerism of the illegal immigrants in the state and for Mexico to cut ties with Arizona at this stage would only work to encourage uncooperative attitudes between both countries. In addition to immigration discussion, though, a senior administration official has also added a statement about the meeting saying that President Obama and President Calderon will also discuss border security as well as the ongoing drug violence that has affected both sides of the border. As things are more than 22,700 people have been killed since Calderon deployed troops and federal police across Mexico in order to combat drug traffickers but although Washington has been a strong supporter, pledging training and equipment under the $1.3 billion Merida Initiative, only about 25% of the funds and equipment promised have actually been delivered. In any case this meeting is sure to be productive since both sides expect to come away from the meeting with a number of concrete announcements about the ways in which both governments can work together.

Sources:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100518/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_mexico_2

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/18/us.mexico.presidential.visit/index.html?section=cnn_latest

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/economy/illegal-immigration-provides-benefits-states-despite-rhetoric