Fox's Utah visit to fulfill promise

Mexican President Vicente Fox's long-awaited visit to Utah later this week follows the fulfillment of a promise made to him nearly a year ago by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

Huntsman met with the outgoing Mexican leader in Mexico City last July to pitch an economic, cultural and educational alliance between Utah and Mexico. But Fox and other Mexican officials that the governor saw wanted to talk about immigration.

So Huntsman, a former diplomat, quickly offered to tackle the issue with other Western governors in the hopes of having influence on the national debate over what to do about illegal immigrants from Mexico.

Earlier this year, the Western Governors' Association adopted a resolution drafted by Huntsman, a Republican, with Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat. The resolution called for a guest worker program as well as better border security.

It's been circulating among members of Congress, who have yet to set a new immigration policy despite pressure from President Bush to adopt his proposal, which also includes a guest worker program.

"The governor's goal was to help encourage the federal government to finally address the illegal immigration issue," Huntsman's spokesman and deputy chief of staff, Mike Mower, said.

The governor also fulfilled the pledge he made to Fox. And now the Mexican leader finally is coming to Utah for a visit set to begin shortly after noon on Tuesday and end 24 hours later when Fox leaves for the other stops on his U.S. trip — Seattle and Sacramento.

A visit from Fox has long been anticipated by Utah leaders. A planned trip was announced in December 2004 but was postponed again and again, even after Huntsman went to Mexico City. It took the action by the Western governors, apparently, to seal the deal.

Had Huntsman not been able to follow through on his promise to seek action on the immigration issue by the Western governors, the postponements could have continued until Fox —who cannot seek another term — is replaced later this year.

"It would have been more difficult," said Joe Reyna, a Zions Bank regional president who began advising Huntsman on Mexican-American affairs during the governor's campaign. Reyna has also advised Fox as a former leader of the president's council of Mexicans living abroad.

Reyna, who has been in contact with the Mexican government about a Fox visit for nearly two years, said the governor "understands diplomatic relations. I think that's what really gave a lot of substance for the Mexican government to realize Jon Huntsman was a friend."