int'l correspondent?

Just filed my first story from Mexico. It felt as hard as the first story I ever wrote -- interviewing in Spanish is tougher than I thought it'd be. Here it is, though, and check out Friday's Daily to see it in print:

LINK

Mexican students oppose border fence construction
By Jared Taylor
Daily Staff Writer

CUERNAVACA, Mexico – As President Bush signed new fencing construction along the U.S.-Mexico border into law, Mexican students here said barriers would do little to deter further illegal immigration.

The Secure Fence Act of 2006 will create 700 miles of new barriers along the 2,100-mile southern border. Bush signed the law Thursday morning in Washington before his visit to Des Moines for a Republican fundraiser in the afternoon.

“Unfortunately the United States has not been in complete control of its borders for decades and therefore illegal immigration has been on the rise,” Bush said at a signing ceremony.

The project’s cost is unknown, though Bush approved an initial $1.2 billion for border security earlier this month. The money can also be used for access roads, lighting and security equipment.

Agustin Bahena, a 20-year-old business management student at Universidad Internacional, said a fence wouldn’t deter Mexicans who want to cross into the United States illegally.

“I think it is a waste of money,” Bahena said. “They are Mexicans, man. They are going to find a way to get into the U.S.”

While there are an estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States, the U.S. economy still needs immigrant labor to prosper, Bahena said.

“The [U.S.] government doesn’t say it, but they need the Mexicans to be there to do their jobs,” he said.

Evelyn Hernandez, a 24-year-old communications student, said most Latinos migrate to the United States for better employment opportunities, even if they lack advanced skills.

“In Mexico, there is not much equal work and the poor go away,” she said. “[Immigration] is important because Mexicans work and your economy grows.”

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a longtime proponent of border fencing, said the building more walls would deter illegal entries into the country. In July, King pitched a border wall that he designed to Congress that would cost about $1.3 million per mile.

“We are likely to see another terrorist attack in this country,” King said in a statement. “If so, the attacking terrorists are most likely to be smuggled into the U.S. across our Mexican border. We can dramatically reduce the risk by building a wall.”

Miguel Angel Rico Romero, a 21-year-old geography student, said there is no simple solution to the immigration problem for the United States or Mexico.

“I believe the wall will serve nobody,” he said. “With the wall, people will pass.”

– The Associated Press contributed to this story.