Mexico sees silver lining in Arizona immigration law
The Arizona immigration law, and a similar one passed by a town in Nebraska, is supported by a majority of Americans. But Mexico sees broader American opposition to these immigration initiatives than in the past anti-immigrant efforts.
Minerva Ruiz, an illegal immigrant from Los Mochis in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, smiles as she sorts through clothes that she's selling at a garage sale in Phoenix, in this photo taken June 4. She and her two best friends and their families held the garage sale to save up money to leave Arizona because of its new immigration law.
Amanda Lee Myers/AP
Mexico City
As if the Arizona immigration law intended to scare off illegal immigrants were not bad enough, Mexicans lament, now a town in Nebraska has voted to bar undocumented residents from renting homes or securing jobs.
From the view south of the border, times could not be worse in terms of America´s disregard for Mexico.
But a curious thing is happening. Mexicans are also seeing a new level of American discontent percolating over US immigration initiatives, much of it coming from unexpected corners.
“I know that there are many Americans for the law, but there are many against it too,” says Angel Hernandez, a Mexico City resident washing his car on a recent day. “There are many Americans uniting to support us.”
IN PICTURES: The US/Mexico border
That support, note Mexicans, seems to come from the very top. President Obama says he'll challenge the Arizona initiative in court. On a recent visit to Ecuador, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirmed that the administration intends a lawsuit.
And beyond the Washington beltway, cities from Baltimore to Seattle have opposed the Arizona law, passing resolutions and some even barring municipal employees from traveling to the state. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the Major League Baseball team, face protesters at their games around the United States.
