Mexican president visits U.S.

Mexican President Vicente Fox is taking his five-year battle for immigration reform to the front lines with a trip this week to California, Utah and Washington.

Photo: Mexican president visits U.S.

But some say the five-day visit, which starts Tuesday in Utah, may do more harm than good.

Fox wants the U.S. Congress to approve a guest worker program and a path for citizenship for some of the 6 million undocumented Mexicans in the country.

But his visit could be seen as meddling in U.S. politics and strengthen support for hard-liners who want to tighten immigration laws.

"This trip has all the makings of a boomerang," said George Grayson, a Mexico expert at the College of William and Mary. "It is going to be virtually impossible to be critical enough to keep his political support back home, while not looking like he is interfering in U.S. affairs."

Fox plans to meet with state governors and legislators, business leaders and Mexican migrants.

"The Mexican government wants to do its part to promote an immigration reform," Fox's spokesman Ruben Aguilar said Monday. "Meeting with the Mexican community in these states, this Mexican government wants to show its total support for the defense of the their labor and human rights."

Fox will meet California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and will talk with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. He also plans to get his cowboy boots dirty traipsing around a farm where Mexicans work in Washington state, reports the AP.

I.L.