Last week, President Bush, Prime Minister Martin of Canada, and President Fox of Mexico announced the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.  A joint statement released after their formal meeting stated the initiative is aimed at strengthening continental security and promoting economic growth, competitiveness and improvements in the quality of life for the citizens of all three nations. 

According to the joint statement, the security portion of the agreement is an effort to protect North America from external threats, prevent and respond to threats within North America, and streamline the movement of legitimate traffic across the nations’ shared borders.  The efforts are to include the following actions: 

·         Implement common border security and bioprotection strategies;

·         Enhance critical infrastructure protection, and implement a common approach to emergency response;

·         Implement improvements in aviation and maritime security, combat transnational threats, and enhance intelligence partnerships; and

·         Implement a border facilitation strategy to build capacity and improve the legitimate flow of people and cargo at shared borders. 

The three leaders called for the development of two working groups, one on security and the other on prosperity, made up of officials from all three nations, to develop concrete proposals and a schedule for future actions within 90 days. 

In a related development, according to CNSNews.com, a letter dated March 21, 2005, and signed by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, and leaders of the Congressional Hispanic caucus was sent to Presidents Bush and Fox demanding reasonable immigration reform.  The letter offered a statement of principles for Presidents Bush and Fox to consider.  Thos principles include the following: 

·         family reunification;

·         earned access to legalization;

·         border safety and protection;

·         an enhanced temporary worker program;

·         respect for civil liberties and constitutional rights of immigrants and visitors;

·         and support to legislative initiatives regarding immigrant student adjustment.

The Democrats in Congress are calling for President Bush to act on the immigration reform he has previously proposed.  The plan’s major opponents are members of the President’s own Republican Party.