LETTER: Mexican response to AZ law hypocritical

Dear Editor:
I am writing this as a citizen of the U.S. who, for several years, has lived much of the year in West Central Mexico.

My wife and I are retired, and are happy with our life here, but are very careful to adhere to the many rules and regulations that apply to our being legal residents of this country! We love the U.S., and all the advantages it gave us during all the years we grew up, raised our family, and prospered with the business that we created and worked in!

We now find it incredulous that our federal government refuses to enforce the immigration laws of the U.S., and, when a State like Arizona, in its own self defense tries to create some protection for it's citizenry, so many of the left wing, liberal people want to make villans of them, and the Mexican Government is saying that "this is an outrage and is racist!"

I would like to share with you readers what we are required to do, here in Mexico. To live down here, we must file as temporary immigrants, and to do so we must furnish: a formal application, filled out in Spanish, records that show that we have sufficient income, according to their standards, to live here, without additional income, a letter from a legal authority that shows that we have no criminal background, three sets of profile and front face photos, and pay an annual fee of approximately $100.

We also have to register our vehicle when we enter the country, and pay the registration fee, and furnish proof of Mexican Insurance coverage. If we own property down here, we have to do it through a Mexican Trust, and pay all annual Trust fees and Property taxes! We can be asked at any time to show proof of our proper documentation, and that of our vehicle, and failure to do so, will result in incarceration or impoundment and possible confiscation of our vehicle! We know of many circumstances when this has happened, so it is NO empty threat!

So, I guess we simply don't understand the double standard that the Mexican citizens that have illegally snuck into the U.S. have, and the outright hypocrisy of what the Mexican Government is touting!

The United States, and every state therein, has the right to control its borders, as Mexico does, and failure to do so jeopardizes their sovereignty!

Respectfully,
Larry and Eloise Kontz
Arizona residents!

(Editor's note: Larry and Eloise are former Payson residents and avid Gazette blog readers.)