Guatemala to push for immigration reform during visit by top State Department envoy

Guatemala to push US envoy for immigration reform

GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala’s government says it will push for U.S. immigration reform during a visit this week by a top State Department envoy.

The Foreign Ministry says “the need to implement an integrated federal immigration reform” will be a key topic during meetings with Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela.

Valenzuela arrives in Guatemala Sunday night. He will meet with President Alvaro Colom on Monday and visit El Salvador and Panama later in the week.

Arizona’s tough new immigration law has thrust the issue to the front of U.S. relations with Mexico and Central America.

The last U.S. effort to overhaul the immigration system failed in 2007, and the issue had been overshadowed by the drug war.