Mexico may protest fence at United Nations

Jenny Barchfield of the Washington Post reports that Mexico's outgoing foreign ministry is considering bringing the issue of the proposed 700 mile U.S. border fence to the U.N. (See Mexico May Take Fence Dispute to U.N.)

In a way, this threat is heartening. It shows that stupid politicians aren't unique to the United States. First, these guys are outgoing. There's going to be a new administration in Mexico, and the president-elect Felipe Calderon has already said that this is a bilateral issue to be resolved by Mexico and the United States. Second, there is no legal case. Provided a border fence doesn't interfere with international trade (which is covered by various treaties -- none of which, I believe, would actually fall under the U.N.'s jurisdiction), there are no international agreements or customary international law that says a country can't build fences, moats, or whatever within their own countries and along their own borders. (However, if you fill the moat with crocodiles, you may actually violate international law. Since crocodiles are endangered, I'm guessing there might be a problem with the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species. Same goes for sharks with laser beams strapped to their heads.)

Also, I'm heartened to see the Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez plans to raise the fence and immigration issue with his Spanish and Italian counterparts this week. Seeing that neither Spain nor Italy have illegal immigration problems of any sort, I'm sure Derbez will have a receptive ear.