Senator, this is probably your first post on here that I agree with whole-heartedly. The wall on the Mexican border is racist, and, like all walls, it will be a failure and eventually come down. The future of our country is openness, not isolation.

 As for the debate, I think it's shameful that Univision caved to the pressures of the more established candidates to not let the Spanish speakers speak in that language. It is a decision that runs completly counter to the whole point of having a station like Univision serving the Hispanic community. 

I'm against a fence or wall or whatever on the Mexican border, but the idea that if we are going to build one on the Southern Border, we should build one on the Northern border, too, is insane.

I'm trying to think of the right metaphor, it's not quite cutting off your nose to spite your face, nor is it throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The fact remains that illegal immigration is not a problem on the Northern border, so the idea of accusing people in favor of the wall on the South, but not on the North of being racist is pretty silly.

In any case, Senator, while we're on the subject of immigration, what do you think of the Uniting All Families Act, which would allow same-sex citizens to sponsor their partners for permanent residency in the US? This would include, of course, hispanic partners who are non-citizens. I would guess that your against it, since you're pretty much universally against gay rights.  

"Just to let you know we have far less problems coming from Canada than we do with Mexico."

Fyi, the millenium bomber who was heading into Los Angeles was busted at the US-Canada border.Canada's poor tracking of dangerous illegals is the source of much political rhetoric and scrutiny post 9/11.The bomber was busted by a vigilant US customs officer at the US- Canada border.

European and Canadian illegals seem to be more accepted than non whites maybe because their white skin makes them less noticeable. I don't want them here either getting special consideration in immigration law after hiding out in the US for many, many years.

Most of the Europeans that came here were illiterate rejects who couldn't make a living in their home countries and welfare and section 8 were all created during the massive immigration of Europeans into the US. Oh yes, let's not forget the criminal enterprises begun by Europeans , the diseases they brought from Europe and everyones favorite little creature imported from Europe you can find anytime you look down on any subway tracks, the Norwegian gray rat, which outnumbers people here in NYC and is a rabid, filthy disease spreader. Thanks Europeans! 

Not sure what this topic has to do with same sex relations beyond a gratuitous attack on the author of the posting.

There will be a wall on our northern border, except it'll be built by the Canadians - once the true ramifications of our country's insane policies will become clear to the average American.

Compliments to Senator Diaz for speaking up about these issues.

We are a country of immigrants --- cold policies of isolationism should not be part of our future. Border security is very important, but not planned this way.

It sounds extremely ugly and racist to suggest building a wall only between Mexico and the US and not Canada and the US. It sounds insane to build a wall between the US and any country.

I don't think it will ever get done either. Lots of talk talk talk - lots of dollars to stuff in all sorts of federal and southern state pockets - but does anyone really think we will ever really build a wall?  Turn up the Pink Floyd! 

Presidential candidates who espouse those views might rethink their positions ... what can they be thinking?

Some interesting comments on this board - except for the hateful ones toward Senator Diaz. He is great and we are blessed to have him in the US, in New York, and in the Bronx.

What does that have to do with anything?

Seems like the dumb dumb blogger can't spell Thomas, and doesn't know how to construct a sentence properly.

Back to the topic at hand -

Senator Diaz is quite right about the debate. The US immigration policies have been genereous to people who come here for a better life. What kind of a message would we be sending to the world if we built a wall to keep out Mexicans?

It makes no sense that the candidates weren't allowed to speak Spanish during the debate. How can Univision have an English only event?

Mexico has given us hard workers, people who appreciate the opportunities that this country and city have to offer.

The Bronx, on the other hand, has given us ignorant, corrupt, and predatory politicians who continue to exploit their heritage and prey on their own brothers and sisters. I see we have another fantastic line up set for '09 too...

Lets get smart and build a wall around the Bronx. We can give a city-wide pass to J-Lo, the Yankees, and to any educated Latino who is sick of being disenfranchised and exploited by their supposed "leaders."

And please...use spell check before you post.

Can we also get rid of the white politicians who' don't represent the majority of their constituents either culturally and physically and are only in power because they've gerry mandered voting lines in order to stay in power. I mean how is it possible that the Bronx and Westchester are part of the same district that only serves to benefit  the white constituents of Westchester county?

Exploit their heritage, you mean those Jewish politicians who convince blacks and Latinos in places like Marble Hill that they are better than blacks and Latinos and white constituents in the Bronx deserve the lion's share of city services like newly built public schools which go out of their way to exclude the black and Latino majority residents?

It's amazing what passes for political discourse when bloggers hide behind anonymous postings. Nonetheless, Sen Diaz is right to assert both his dismay over the Mexican border wall and the apparent support for it by the Democratic presidential candidates.

As an informed Obama endorser, I find it hard to believe that Sen Obama expressed support for constructing an 800 mile wall on the Mexican border. I will contact him for clarification of his remarks during the Univision debate.

Lastly, I do believe that America's economic security is endangered by unfettered immigration; economic exploitation of undocumented workers; the trade imbalance with Communist China; and Wall Street speculators.

Did Assemlyman Benjamin really write the previous post,or was it an imposter?

Any informed Obama endorser or opponent - just anyone informed who can read the newspapers knows that Obama voted for a wall to be built on the border of Mexico.

The following 2 paragraphs are from the September 10, 2007 edition of Newsday:

The moderators were eager to hold candidates accountable for votes that were unpopular among Latinos. Clinton, Obama and Dodd were grilled about their vote in favor of the construction of a border fence between the United States and Mexico.

Both Clinton and Obama sidestepped the question, stressing their support of the Bush administration's defeated immigration reform package, which included a path to citizenship for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. "We can't just have hundreds of thousands of people coming into the country and not know who they are," Obama said in defense of the wall.

(http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-usdeba105368219sep10,0,5721262.story)

How could Assemblyman Benjamin declare his support for someone who has voted to build that wall??? Maybe we should ask his constituents what they think about all this ...

I concur with one of the commenters who observed that this suggestion is "insane".  I am glad Mr. Diaz and his team are willing to post ideas, but this just shows further that absolute scandal of who we Bronxites are represented by.  Besides the vitriolic gay bashoin this one is know for. And some of them don't even live in the Bronx.

This idea, and suggestion, under the guise of informed debate is astoundingly disappointing.

And the other name fiefdoms in the Bronx are almost entirely of a very low intellectual calibre, with one or two exceptions.  Some of them rattle on and on, at public events, leaving mature adults to laugh later at all of us.

this is a good website though.