White House State Dinner: Beyoncé Performs For Mexico's President

By Simone Hilliard

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle hosted the second White House State Dinner last night (May 19) for Mexico's President Felipe Calderon and his wife, Margarita Zavala. Attendees were treated to live performances by Beyoncé and Mexican guitarists Rodrigo y Gabriela. And yes, Bey's hubby Jay-Z was also in attendance!

"Tonight we share the bonds we share as neighbors and as friends," Obama said. "We celebrate all that Mexican-Americans contribute to the United States."

Security was noticeably enhanced this go-around, and among the 200 guests who lined up to get in, at least one woman was turned away for lack of proper ID. She did however return soon after with the proper identification.

We have more details from the dinner for you, after the jump!

The White House dinner guest list had a sizeable celebrity quotient, including Whoopi Goldberg, Eva Longoria Parker, George Lopez, New York Jet Mark Sanchez, and Olympic speedskater Shani Davis.

Obama declared it his mission to get the guests of honor out on the dance floor along with himself and Michelle, but reporters were ushered out before the party ever got to the dancing stage.

Las dos Primera Damas were dressed beautifully and Mrs. Obama shined in a belted Peter Soronen one-shoulder cobalt gown, while Mrs. Zavala wore an understated sleeveless Aztec-inspired dress by Marcario Jiminez.

The dinner took place after a day focused on contentious immigration issues, and the presidents toasted their close cross-border relationship. Obama and Calderon have both denounced the new Arizona immigration law and the Obama White House is "mulling a legal challenge to the law."

Longoria said a few words about the Arizona immigration law to reporters, mentioning it was perfect timing for the dinner, "because of the temperature regarding immigration reform... It's a hot-button issue... So much reform is needed." Immigration is a federal issue, she continued, and you "can't have states" making laws of this type.

Always the comedian, Lopez joked, "I'm sitting with the president. They didn't tell me which country," supporting both his Mexican and American heritage.

A perfect way to define the night!

(image via BeyonceWorld.net)

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Tags Barack Obama, Beyonce, Eva Longoria, Felipe Calderon, George Lopez, Immigration, Margarita Zavala, Michelle Obama, Rodrigo y Gabriela