US News
Immigration tops concerns at Bush, Calderon meeting
By DPA
Nov 9, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Washington - Just weeks after US President George W Bush approved expanded fences along the Mexican border, illegal migration dominated a meeting with Mexico's president-elect Felipe Calderon at the White House Thursday.

Plans for the 1,100-kilometre-fence, intended to stem illegal migration through Mexico to the United States, have drawn fire in Mexico. They also fall short of Bush's vision for a comprehensive immigration programme that was to have been a cornerstone of US relations with Mexico - but failed to pass US Congress.

In remarks to reporters after their meeting, Calderon, who will be inaugurated on December 1, said he had told the president about migration concerns and the need for a comprehensive vision to 'move forward.'

'We both understand that the only solution to many of the problems ... is to create well-paid jobs in Mexico,' Calderon said. 'And for that, we need even more investment.'.

Bush said he still 'strongly believed' in a 'comprehensive immigration vision.'

Bush also declared that Calderon had won a 'very good election' - remarks apparently aimed at the divisive aftermath of Mexico's elections in July, when Calderon squeaked through by only 0.55 per cent of the vote .

His rival, leftist Andres Manual Lopez Obrador, has refused to acknowledge Calderon and provoked massive street protests over past months in the capital Mexico City.

'I'm proud of the Mexican people for conducting an election that was open and honest,' Bush said.

More than 1.2 million people are arrested every year for illegal entry into the US, most of them through Mexico, and another half a million manage to remain.

The planned barrier at the border is a a double fence with a strip in the middle where border guards can patrol. Bush has also approved the doubling of the number of US border patrol agents to 18,000 by 2008.

Critics say the fence will not stop the many legal migrants who then overstay their visas, would enrich people-smugglers and complicates US-Mexican relations.

Bush has proposed broader immigration reform, including a guest worker programme and efforts to legalize an estimated 11 million unlawful residents in the US, but can't get the plan past Congress.