Customs Chief Rebuked on Mexico Stand

Customs Service Commissioner William von Raab’s “excess rhetoric” critical of Mexican law enforcement is hampering cooperative efforts between the United States and Mexico on stemming the flow of illegal aliens, Alan C. Nelson, Immigration and Naturalization Service commissioner, said Monday.

In addition to delivering a rare public rebuke to a fellow Administration official and presidential appointee, Nelson disclosed in an interview that he has proposed to Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III and Labor Secretary William E. Brock III that an executive order be issued to bar illegal aliens from any work funded by the federal government.

‘Inept and Corrupt’

In congressional testimony and in newspaper interviews, Von Raab recently severely criticized Mexican law enforcement officials as “inept and corrupt,” contending that they have done nothing to counter the surge in drug trafficking across their northern border.

Nelson, whose agency is an arm of the Justice Department, said it is his “impression” that other Administration officials share his reservations about Von Raab’s verbal assault on Mexican officials, which has been protested by the Mexican government.

When asked why no Administration superior has attempted to silence Von Raab, who reports to the secretary of the Treasury, Nelson said only: “That’s a good question.”

‘Excess Rhetoric’

The INS commissioner said that Mexico does have problems, “economic and otherwise, but they are our neighbors. Excess rhetoric is certainly not the way to do it.” He noted that, when he and the heads of six federal law enforcement agencies had attended a “summit” with their Mexican counterparts in Cancun a month ago, the Customs Service sent “maybe the No. 10 guy.”

Since then, Nelson said, progress has been made in fighting immigrant smuggling, heading off third-country nationals who attempt to enter the United States illegally through Mexico, countering border violence and trying to persuade Mexico’s officialdom that immigration reform legislation will not lead to mass roundups of aliens or discrimination against Latinos.

However, he said, Mexican officials are not as receptive toward two other changes he favors: immigration clearance at Mexico City’s airport for U.S.-bound passengers and transportation of illegal aliens back to their home areas in south and central Mexico instead of back to the border.

The latter proposal was tried on an experimental basis from late August through November of 1983, during which time 1,091 illegal aliens were flown from El Centro and Chula Vista, Calif., and from El Paso and Laredo, Tex., to the interior of Mexico, an INS spokesman said.

But the system was discontinued because it was time-consuming and not cost effective, the spokesman said. However, Nelson said that the program, if made permanent, could be an effective deterrent to repeat immigration violators.

‘Ridiculous Symbol’

The executive order he proposed would prevent the hiring of illegal aliens for federal contracts as a way to end “the ridiculous symbol” of the United States’ funding the employment of illegal immigrants while it is trying through immigration reform legislation to ban such workers from the private sector.

The immigration legislation is now before the House Judiciary Committee, which Nelson accused of “inexcusable and irresponsible” foot-dragging. Although he said that the odds for passage now “are more negative than positive,” he still has hope that it can be enacted by the current Congress.