Mexican Immigration Laws. Why can't we follow suit?

Mexico has a single, streamlined law that ensures that foreign visitors and immigrants are:

• In the country legally:
• have the means to sustain themselves economically;
• not destined to be burdens on society;
• of economic and social benefit to society;
• of good character and have no criminal records;
• and are contributors to the general well-being of the nation.

The law also ensures that:

• immigration authorities have a record of each foreign visitor;
• foreign visitors do not violate their visa status;
• foreign visitors are banned from interfering in the country’s internal politics;
• foreign visitors who enter under false pretenses are imprisoned or deported;
• foreign visitors violating the terms of their entry are imprisoned or deported;
• those who aid in illegal immigration will be sent to prison.

Who can disagree with such a law? It makes perfect sense. The Mexican constitution strictly defines the rights of citizens - and the denial of many fundamental rights to non-citizens, legal and illegal.

Why then is Mexico pushing us to water down our own immigration laws and policies, when its own immigration restrictions are the toughest on the continent?

If the United States adopted such statutes, Mexico would no doubt denounce it as a manifestation of American racism and bigotry.

After all, if it's a reasonable policy for them, why not us?