Asserting that the Mexican polity will stay in place, de la Garza warned not to expect a sea change as a result of the election of PAN-candidate Vicente Fox since his policies are not typical of the party.  De la Garza paints Fox as an unpredictable independent who has reached out to try to unite Mexicans against the long-ruling PRI.  Neither is he a typical PAN member, although he ran on the PAN ticket.  There could be major changes, however, if the two main parties, the PRI and the PAN, work together in the federal legislature.

According to de la Garza, President Fox takes office unbeholden to the previous regime.  Under Fox there is a good possibility of an increase in federalism in Mexico for two reasons:  the principle of more state power after years of PRI-inspired centralization; and the possibility of saddling states with problems which would no longer be the concern of the federal government.  There could also be a change in attitude toward the United States, with Fox loathe to accept Mexico’s subordination to its northern neighbor.  The new president has been direct in his demands for equal treatment.  Unlike the previous government, Fox has tried to put the immigration issue on the table, creating a new department which focuses on Mexican nationals living in the United States.  Possibly complicating Mexico’s future relations with the U.S., Fox’s foreign policy advisers include intellectuals who are highly critical of Mexico’s northern neighbor.  

Immigration has come to the forefront of U.S. / Mexico policy issues.  According to de la Garza, immigration is both a domestic and international issue, one that cannot be affected by domestic policy alone.  Half of all Mexican nationals in the United States are concentrated in just eight counties, including three in southern California, two in Texas, and Cook County in Illinois, and three-quarters of Mexican nationals live in three states.  Furthermore, most Mexican immigrants come from a handful of Mexican states.  De la Garza sees no prospect for a decrease in immigration in the next 20 years.  He also brought up the issue of national security versus free trade. 

The topic of Mexicans in the United States also plays a great role in the relations between the two countries.  When Fox mentioned that he wanted to be president of 118 million Mexicans, a statement which made some nervous on both sides of the border, he was fully aware that only 100 million live in Mexico.  De la Garza also explored the issue of dual nationality, which allows many Mexican-Americans to claim Mexican nationality without voting rights.  There is also

debate about extending dual citizenship, with 15 percent of the Mexican electorate residing in the United States.  The issue of Mexican nationals versus Mexican-Americans also was addressed.  De la Garza noted that while Mexican-Americans support rights for immigrants, they by and large do not support immigration itself.  Ironically, immigrants often have more representation in their adopted community in the U.S., which, according to de la Garza, is becoming increasingly more “Mexicanized,” than in Mexico itself.

Professor de la Garza ended his presentation by mentioning states’ ability to set foreign policy, saying that it is possible in a practical sense as long as it does not contradict existing federal policy.  Questions from the audience touched upon families split up immigration policy, the fate of the U.S. labor market if Mexican workers were to return home, and non-tariff barriers to trade.

Questions following Ms. Borja’s presentation included inquiries about the possibility of funding road construction on the border of Arizona and Sonora and providing environmental services to colonias, a name often given to substandard housing found along the border. 

Finally, two legislators from Mexico spoke about challenges facing U.S. / Mexico relations.  Diputado Ernesto Munro Palacio of Sonora focused on Mexico’s acceptance of globalization since the passage of NAFTA, and Diputado Jesus Manuel Tarin Barca of Chihuahua talked about economic help for migrant workers, who, whether legal or not, make great contributions to the U.S. economy. 

At the conclusion of the session, Committee Vice Chair Representative Henry Cuellar, Texas, presented outgoing Chair Assemblywoman Denise Moreno Ducheny, California, with a plaque acknowledging her chairmanship of the Committee.