In what Mexican government officials are calling an unprecedented move to reach out to American citizens, Mexico published a full-page advertisement Monday in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and The Washington Post, explaining the two countries' "shared responsibility" for immigration.

In a Monday telephone interview, a spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington said the ads should not be interpreted as an effort by the Mexican government to interfere in the United States' sovereign right to determine its own immigration policy.

"But immigration is a bilateral phenomenon, a mutual concern -- this ad summarizes Mexico's part of the equation," said Mexican Embassy spokesman Rafael Laveaga. "We want to highlight Mexico's position all over America, both to citizens and decision-makers as well."

The advertising blitz comes as members of Congress hammer out immigration reform legislation and partisan bickering flares over two divisive issues: what to do with the millions of illegal immigrants already living in the United States; and a proposed guest-worker program to allow foreign nationals to temporarily live and work in this country.

The advertisement is a condensed version of a resolution titled "Mexico and the Migration Phenomenon" approved by both houses of the Mexican legislature on Feb. 16. Copies of the document were recently distributed to members of Congress in Washington, Laveaga said.

Among the highlights included in the resolution and the ad are:

• An acknowledgement that until Mexico improves economic and social conditions in that country, "conditions for emigrating abroad will exist."

• Mexico's commitment to fighting "all forms of human smuggling and related criminal activities."

• Mexico's support of what it hopes will be a "safe, orderly guest worker program," in the United States, one which Mexico would like to help design, manage and supervise "under the principle of shared responsibility." By having such a program, Mexico would be better able to combat criminal organizations involved in human smuggling, the document states.

• The development of incentives by Mexico to encourage migrants to return to their country. One such proposed program would offer tax incentives for Mexicans living in the United States to build a home in Mexico.

• The creation of a bilateral medical insurance system.

• Suggested adjustments to U.S. pension systems that would allow Mexican citizens to only receive those benefits once they have returned to Mexico.

Legislative battle rages

Mexico's public relations foray is being waged against the backdrop of a hot congressional election year -- one in which illegal immigration is dominating many races, including North County's 50th Congressional District -- and as the U.S. Senate weighs two competing bills that could profoundly affect the lives of the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, as well as the economies of both countries.

A bill sponsored by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., has the backing of business interests and would allow illegal immigrants to work in this country for six years. They would then be allowed to apply for permanent residency without being required to leave the country.

A competing bill, sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the United States. Once back in their own country, they could then apply to return as temporary workers or to become permanent residents.

But reaching a consensus on immigration policy is proving to be easier said than done in an election year, as many members of Congress tiptoe around anything that might be perceived as granting amnesty to illegal immigrants.

Last week, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. told the Associated Press: "Nobody in the country trusts us on this issue right now because we have not demonstrated the integrity to control our borders."

The U.S. Senate is expected to conclude its deliberations on the proposed bills by month's end.

Hot issue locally

On the local level, the issue of illegal immigration is a particularly hot one in the lead up to the April 11 special election to choose a temporary replacement for disgraced former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

Most of the 14 Republicans who are vying for the seat have been duking it out in recent weeks to position themselves as tougher-than-thou on the issue of illegal immigration.

Even Democratic candidates are positioning themselves as strong on immigration reform. Former banking executive and Oceanside resident Chris Young has said that she would only consider a guest worker program "after we close the flood gates." Cardiff School Board member and candidate Francine Busby has stated that while she supports a guest worker program, she would like to see a high-tech double fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

Asked how the issue of illegal immigration into the United States is seen in his country, Mexican Embassy spokesman Laveaga said that his countrymen are particularly incensed with two issues relating to the illegal immigration debate: one is the proposal for a border fence; the other is a proposal to criminalize Mexicans who are living illegally in the United States.

"We think we should be building bridges, not fences," Laveaga said.

The Mexican people believe proposals to criminalize illegal immigrants are misguided, he said.

"We are dealing with human beings who have been contributing to the U.S. economy, people who pay taxes, hard-working, church-going people who are not criminals," he said.

To see a complete copy of the Mexican government's resolution, visit portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=167.

Contact staff writer William Finn Bennett at (760) 740-5426, or wbennett@nctimes.com.

On the Web

http://portal.sre.gob.mx/usa/index.php?option=news&task=viewarticle&sid=167.

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http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/03/17/news/politics/16_27_343_16_06.txt