Calderón's back-to-Mexico plan

Call it a happy convergence. The US is finally cracking down on illegal immigration while Mexico finally has a president who's serious about making his country wealthy enough to retain its workers. It's a mutual effort worthy of a presidential campaign pitch.

Only it is Felipe Calderón, the Mexican president, who is making this point as he tours the United States this week – not the American candidates.

He's telling the US that it has every right to enforce its immigration laws (if done humanely) but the best way to keep Mexicans in Mexico and attract back the 11 million living in the US illegally is to further boost Mexico's economy.

Mr. Calderón is well on his way to doing so, despite a looming US recession. Last year, Mexico saw its largest increase in new jobs, a big jump in its global competitiveness, a 25 percent rise in foreign investment, and an inflation rate lower than the US for the first time in history.

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