Should America Pay Mexico to Reduce Illegal Immigration?

I've never focused much on immigration issues, but this EU Observer story caught my eye. Libya's dictator is asking the European Union to give his country €5 billion (more than $6 billion) each year as a price for stopping illegal migration across the Mediterranean.

Mr Gaddafi suggested Monday during his speech to business representatives in Italy the EU should pay his country "at least €5 billion a year" to stop African migrants crossing the Mediterranean and avoid Europe becoming "black." "Gaddafi is thinking what all north African leaders are thinking: they can't and don't want to be the keepers of Europe," Mr Frattini said, adding that: "Europe needs to finally get a migration policy, giving plenty of funds to the migrants' countries of origin and helping transitory countries face a huge burden." While a European Commission spokesman declined on Tuesday to react to the Libyan leader's comments, France said the immigration issue would be included in a broader accord with Libya, on the negotiating table since November 2008.

This floors me. I'm not surprised a kleptocrat like Gaddafi made the request, but I'm stunned that European politicians seem to be taking it seriously. It's possible, I suppose, that I'm misinterpreting the article and the Europeans are merely being diplomatic, but why be polite? Won't that encourage other North African nations to make similar demands? And if European nations actually agree to such payments, are they really dumb enough to think that North African governments have the ability (or desire) to block individuals from seeking a better life in Europe?

Since bad ideas have a nasty habit of migrating across the Atlantic, my next thought is to wonder whether politicians from Mexico and other Latin American nations will decide to make similar demands of the U.S. government. Given the rampant corruption and political greed in places such as Mexico, I'm sure the ruling classes would love an additional excuse to shake down the American taxpayers. The unanswered question, of course, is whether U.S. politicians would make the same mistake as their European counterparts and respond with genuine interest rather than derisive laughter.