Congressmen insulted by Mexican president's 'lecture'

The Mexican president said the Arizona law "ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree."

Several Republican congressmen thought Mexican President Felipe Calderon violated accepted rules of international diplomacy when he criticized U.S. policy following an invitation to speak in congressional chambers.

Calderon criticized Arizona's new immigration law and called on Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Arizona's new law requires law enforcement to question people they reasonably suspect are here illegally.

While Calderon received cheers mainly from Democrats, some Republicans criticized the Mexican president for inappropriately intruding on U.S. policy.

Arizona Senator John McCain said in a statement that it was "unfortunate and disappointing the president of Mexico chose to criticize the state of Arizona by weighing in on a U.S. domestic policy issue during a trip that was meant to reaffirm the unique relationship between our two countries."


The video above is the response of Rep. Tom McClintock of California who took “strong exception” to Calderon’s speech to Congress.

“It’s highly inappropriate for the president of Mexico to lecture Americans on American immigration law,” he said. “Just as it would be for Americans to lecture Mexico on its own laws. It’s obvious President Calderon doesn’t understand the nature of America or the purpose of our immigration law.”

“Unlike Mexico’s immigration law which is brutally exclusionary, the purpose of America’s law is not to keep people out. It is to assure as people come to the United States, they do so with the intention of becoming Americans and raising their children as Americans.”

“Unlike Mexico our nation embraces legal immigration and what’s make that possible is assimilation.”