Mexico criticises US border plan

Mexico says the fence is a block to friendlier ties with the US

Mexico has criticised a US Senate proposal to construct hundreds of kilometres of fencing along its border.

The proposal passed another vote in the Senate on Wednesday but is not yet law.

President Vicente Fox's spokesman said the building of walls would not solve the immigration problem or help relations between the two nations.

Wednesday's bill is part of immigration reforms being discussed by senators, who have backed a plan to allow illegal migrants a chance at citizenship.

They voted by 83-16 to approve the construction of 370 miles (595 km) of triple-layered fencing at strategic points of the southern border.

The measure also calls for the installation of vehicle barriers on a 500-mile stretch of the 2,000-mile border.

Click here for a map showing US border security plans

"Walls will not solve the migration problem... nor [provide] security to the region," Mexico's presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar told a news conference.

Mexico also expressed concern at President Bush's plan, outlined in a speech on Monday, to deploy up to 6,000 National Guard troops on the border.

Foreign ministers from Mexico and other Latin American countries are meeting on Friday to discuss their response to the US proposals.

Tougher bill

Meanwhile, President Bush has been drumming up support for his plans during a visit to the border town of Yuma in Arizona.

He is seeking to appease both conservatives and pro-immigrant campaigners by proposing the creation of a "path to citizenship" for illegal incomers, along with steps to bolster border security.

US ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS About 11.5m illegal immigrants in the US Four out of 10 have been in US five years or less 75% were born in Latin America Most enter via southern US border California, Texas and Florida host most illegal immigrants Many work in agriculture, transport and construction Guide: Facts and figures Send us your comments

"I understand there are people on the other side of the border that will do anything to come and work," he told a meeting of US border patrol agents in Yuma.

He explained his plans for a temporary workers' programme will "create a legal path for workers to come into our country for a limited amount of time".

On Wednesday, senators threw out, by 66-33 votes, a proposal that would have removed provisions allowing illegal immigrants the chance to gain citizenship - although it blocked illegal immigrants with criminal records from becoming citizens.

They approved the creation of a guest-worker programme similar to that put forward in President Bush's Monday speech.

The final shape of immigration legislation is not yet definite, as the Senate proposals must be reconciled with measures backed by the House of Representatives.

The House has approved a much tougher bill, which makes illegal entry a crime, gives illegal immigrants no options to become citizens, and proposes the construction of fencing twice as long as that backed by the Senate.

There are reported to be about 11.5 million illegal immigrants in the United States, and each year some 500,000 to a million more enter the country, mostly via the border with Mexico.

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US-MEXICO - HOUSE PROPOSAL

Representatives want 1,130km (700 mile) barrier along part of border

Border guards made 1m arrests in 2005

500 people died trying to cross illegally in 2005, say rights groups

Thousands cross legally daily to shop and work - in 2003 88m cars, 48m pedestrians crossed

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