According to its own government website, the SPP is defined as a "trilateral effort to increase security and enhance prosperity among the United States, Canada, and Mexico through greater cooperation and information sharing." The effort includes what the website calls "ambitious security and prosperity programs" designed to keep the nations' borders "closed to terrorism yet open to trade."
Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, says his group has obtained documents that reveal a plan for using U.S. and Canadian tax dollars to improve Mexico's infrastructure. "It would take a lot of money to bring the economic conditions of Mexico up to United States standards," he shares. Yet according to the documents, he says, it appears that discussions within the SPP are "about how that is accomplished -- and that may involve taxpayer funds."
According to the Judicial Watch leader, one of the plans involved funding of physical infrastructure projects in Mexico with U.S. and Canadian monies. "This shows ... us that this is a significant development," says Fitton.
If U.S. tax dollars are going to be used to fund Mexico's economic development, those providing those dollars ought to know about it, says Fitton. "I think the American people are going to be quite curious that their government officials are planning to send money to Mexico to help build roads and highways and other things," he offers; "and I think these documents are going to be quite controversial as a result."
In addition, Fitton is concerned that the controversial Senate immigration reform bill includes what he calls an "implicit endorsement" of the SPP, specifically with respect to Mexico and how to accelerate the plan. "I just don't understand how Congress can be endorsing a program they know little or nothing about," he laments.