Mexican President Felipe Calderón is urging the US to reinstate the assault weapons ban. Speaking before a joint session of Congress, Calderón said violence has spiked in Mexico since the ban expired in 2004. Calderón also renewed his criticism of Arizona’s recent anti-immigrant law.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón: “It is a law that not only ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree, but also introduces a terrible idea: using racial profiling as a basis for law enforcement. And that is why I agree — I agree with the President, who says the new law carries a great amount of risk when core values that we all care about are breached.”