Mexican President-Elect Calderón expects Bush to enact U.S. immigration reform before he leaves office

September 8, 2006

Mexico’s President-elect Felipe Calderón says he is committed to winning broad immigration reform in the U.S. Congress while President Bush is in office in the U.S. Calderón, who had spoken with Bush by telephone, said he believes the White House is ready for action.

'We will work intensely over the next two years to arrive at a concrete agreement,' he told reporters.

Current Mexican President Vicente Fox has spent six years trying to obtain legal status for the millions of undocumented Mexicans in the United States. His inability to secure an accord is seen as the biggest failure of his term.

Calderón will replace Fox on Dec. 1. Both are members of the pro-business National Action Party.

Mexico has to create more jobs to slow the flow of Mexicans heading north, Calderón said, noting that 'every year, more than 1.2 million Mexican youths reach working age. Many, facing a lack of alternatives, go looking for opportunities in the United States. We have to find ways to improve things. That is not only in the interest of Mexico, but also a U.S. interest.'

Calderón has said he will reach out to the millions who didn't vote for him by proposing initiatives to reduce poverty, create jobs and combat crime. He also said he will include opposition party leaders in a coalition-style government.