Watch Calderon speak on:

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_europe/2010-05-04/514556092801.html

Mexican President Felipe Calderon criticized on Sunday a tough new immigration law in the U.S. state of Arizona. Calderon advised Mexicans to avoid unnecessary visits to Arizona, which borders Mexico.

Currently attending an international climate conference in Germany, Calderon spoke at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

[Felipe Calderon, Mexican President]:

"It violates the human rights of all people, independent of their migratory status. It has a focus that discriminates on a racial basis and threatens not just the human rights of Mexican migrants in the United States, but of those of any other country even the Mexican-American or Hispanic-American population that live in that country, in that state."

Under the new legislation, state police and local police are required to determine if people are in the country illegally, based on “reasonable suspicion”.

[Felipe Calderon, Mexican President]:
"We've strengthened our consular protective capacity through five Mexican consulates in Arizona. We've also issued a travel alert so that we can let our citizens know the legislation's scope and avoid Mexicans suffering discrimination or oppressive treatment in Arizona. We underscore the necessity to act with caution and to avoid as much as possible unnecessary visits to that state."

The Mexican president says that he will bring up the new law when he meets with U.S. President Barack Obama next month during an official visit to Washington.