Mexican standoff.

SINCE Mexico seems quick to criticize efforts in the United States to tighten its immigration policies, I thought it may be interesting to look at Mexican immigration policies.

Maybe we should just do what Mexico does. That way, we could not be criticized, right?

Because I know nothing about the topic, I contacted Allan Wall, an American who lives in and works in Mexico. He also blogs on issues about immigration policies.

He sent me some of his research. According to him:

* One goal of Mexico's immigration law, as stated by that law, is "to achieve the best assimilation of these (immigrants) to the national environment and their adequate distribution in (Mexican) territory." In other words, as Wall pointed out, the goal of Mexican immigration law is to assimilate immigrants and distribute them.

Imagine the reaction if the U.S. Congress took steps to assimilate and distribute immigrants.

* Mexico "will take care that the immigrants shall be useful elements for the country and that they will have the necessary income levels for their subsistence."

Imagine if the United States "took care" to see that its immigrants were "useful elements" who were certain to have income levels necessary for their subsistence.

* And what kinds of immigrants does Mexico exclude? Would-be immigrants from countries where there is no "reciprocity." Immigrants who would upset Mexico's "demographic equilibrium." Immigrants who would be harmful to the economic interests of Mexicans. Lawbreakers or anyone else the authorities would deem to be not in Mexico's national interests.

Imagine if the United States excluded immigrants from countries that excluded Americans, or if we excluded those who would upset our demographic equilibrium, or those who would hurt the "economic interests" of individual Americans.

* Although Wall said foreigners living in Mexico "can pretty much do anything we want," getting involved in a protest or any political activity is a no-no. According to Mexican law, a Mexican authority can expel "immediately and without necessity of judicial proceedings, all foreigners whose stay it judges inconvenient. Foreigners may not, in any manner, involve themselves in the political affairs of the country."

Imagine if ... well, you get the point.

By the way, is it difficult for a foreigner to work in Mexico?

"It takes some doing," Wall wrote.

You have to show not only your birth certificate but any marriage certificate, high school and college transcript and proof of graduation, two letters of recommendation from supervisors, etc.

All those documents and others had to be translated into Spanish not by any Spanish speaker (Wall is married to a Mexican who, he said, is pretty good about such things) but by a certified legal translator, which, obviously, comes at a fee.

It's difficult to import your furniture from America, and getting a Mexican drivers' license is a notorious bureaucratic labyrinth for foreigners. "To this day," said Wall, a longtime resident of Mexico, "I've never gotten a Mexican drivers license." Actually, I don't think the United States should do what Mexico does. It's not in our culture or our interests. But it would be nice to see someone in authority explain the goose-and-gander saying to Mexicans.

Charles Crumpley is editor of the Business Journal. He can be reached at [e-mail].