Bush Renews Push For Immigration Reform

(CBS/AP)  President Bush made his second visit to the Yuma, Ariz., area of the I.S.-Mexico border in less than a year Monday and said progress was being made in deterring illegal crossings, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports.

But Mr. Bush again pressed Congress to change immigration laws to allow illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to work here.

"If you have people coming here to do jobs Americans aren't doing, we need to figure out ways they can do so in a legal basis for a temporary period of time," he said in a speech at the U.S. Border Patrol station in Yuma.

Mr. Bush said illegal immigrants should not be given amnesty and would have to pay a fine and meet other criteria before they could apply for U.S. citizenship.

The president hoped to send a message — particularly to conservative critics from his own party — that the stepped-up border enforcement is working. His get-tough message was meant to prod Congress into passing a guest worker program for immigrants, a signature domestic policy goal.

Mr. Bush was joined by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., whose support is seen as critical to any deal in the Congress.

Another lawmaker vital to Mr. Bush's effort, Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, said Monday: "President Bush did the right thing today by speaking out."

"Only a bipartisan bill will become law," Kennedy added. "There is a lot of common ground, especially in the need to strengthen our borders and enforce our laws, though important differences remain to be resolved."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has scheduled time for immigration debate in May.

Both the president and the Democratic-run Congress are eager to show some accomplishment on a core issue like immigration. But it's a sticky subject, and the fault lines don't necessarily fall along party lines. For Mr. Bush, opportunities to see through his domestic agenda are shrinking.

Administration officials led by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez have been meeting privately for weeks with Republican senators. That expanded to a meeting in late March with key senators from both parties.

Out of that session, a work-in-progress plan emerged — one described as a draft White House plan by officials in both parties and advocacy groups who got copies of the detailed blueprint.

The White House disputes that characterization. Spokesman Scott Stanzel said it was only a starting point, an emerging consensus of Republican senators and the White House.

Regardless, the floated proposal has already met opposition. Thousands of people marched through Los Angeles on Saturday, spurred in part by what they called a betrayal by Bush.

The plan would grant work visas to undocumented immigrants but require them to return home and pay hefty fines to become legal U.S. residents. They could apply for three-year work visas, dubbed "Z" visas, which would be renewable indefinitely but cost $3,500 each time.

Stressing security, Mr. Bush said, "If you don't man your border and don't protect your borders, people are going to sneak in.

"You cannot fully secure the border until you take pressure off the border," the president said. "And that requires a temporary worker program."

He also pushed his plan to let illegal residents become citizens, provided they pay fines, take steps to become well-rounded Americans and get behind others who have been waiting.

It is impractical to try to round up and send home 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants, he said. "It may sound good," he said. "It won't happen."

Arriving in Yuma, Mr. Bush and Chertoff took a quick look at the "Predator," an unmanned plane that border officials use to monitor the region.

Mr. Bush pointed to two new layers of fencing that have been erected at the border since he visited the same spot a year ago.

"It's amazing the progress that's been made," he told border officials. "I was most impressed by your strategy, but more impressed by the fact that it's now being implemented."

With up to 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., lawmakers haven't agreed on how to uphold the law without disrupting lives, eroding the work force and risking political upheaval.

Mr. Bush is hopeful for a legislative compromise by August.

The president's relations with Congress these days have been soured by the war in Iraq. He is at odds with Democratic lawmakers over a bill to extend war funding in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[wama2]

acjohne5
finally someone with brains come along! hey i love you you're so right too!!

[john lie]

all you racist idiots;focus on solving the problem.all of us are immigrants one way or another.just give the new group a chance.maybe you've been here too long,maybe you see a new immigrant drive a nicer car than you and you cannot stand to bear that.sure the have violated us immigration laws,but some of you make it seem as if all of these people are murderers,serial killers etc.the truth is the majority of them come here to work and earn money,support their families.if your problem is that they are draining the government with free services,then would it not be a better idea to document them so they can pay taxes like everyone else.
12 million x say $5000 is alotta money
but of course you don't wanna see this happen because then you'll be equal to these mostly colored people.

[frankinaz]

The problem with illegal immigration is not just with the border: Illegal immigrants still have way too many priviledges and rights in this country that they do not deserve. They still can find and obtain jobs, housing, medical care, bank accounts, and in some states, driver's licenses, car and even home ownership. Then they lie on their job applications, W-9, and other forms; breaking more laws to stay here. Even though the parents are here illegally, their children born in the U. S. can become citizens-The "Anchor Baby" law is antiquated and now rewards illegal immigrants even further!
Cities and call themselves illegal immigrant sanctuaries only adds to the probem: If Santa Cruz, CA city officials don't want to work with ICE, good-I hope that city's officials are charged with obstruction of justice along with aiding and abetting illegal immigration. If this country wants to end illegal immigration, it is going to need enforcement of existing laws, new ones as time changes, and tough punishment for those who break these laws, especially the employers of illegal immigrants!

[wama2]

-cheyenne16
hey you know you could be right- Illegals Don't even give a rat's azz about any american- the country's doing well and they hope get something for their families too and the easiest way's to sneak here!.

[cheyenne16-2009]

wama2;
In response to your post:
I GOT IT RIGHT!
You are the one who is on the wrong side of this issue, and for reasons which appear to be racial in nature, as in "all hispanics belong here" (my AZZ!).
You don't have a leg to stand on.
Illegal aliens are trespassers and thieves, CRIMINALS ALL!
Illegal aliens have two rights in this country, 1) the right to be arrested, and
2) the right to be deported. End of story, the rest is history.
NO MORE AMNESTIES!
NO MORE REWARDING CRIMINALS WHO HAVE NO RESPECT FOR OUR LAWS!

[realpatriot1]

I don't know where you get the 6 cent figure from but if Americans want the jobs give them preference over guest workers. Then we'll see if its 6 cents or not.

Otherwise you can all go on hunger strike until the
growers go out of business and the pickers leave and then all the Americans can rush in for those jobs.

[dodaz-2009]

A trust fund baby, who never had to earn a thing in his life...( Somebody else worked hard, or STOLD hard to get him where he is today..LOL) No one ever bothered to take that silver spoon out of his mouth... he does not care how much things get screwed up...does it affect him? Nope.... never taught any better..lacks compassion,.. can ya blame him ? look at his mom ...LOL

[olebd]

The Bush guest worker program will not work. It is a smokescreen for amnesty for all these law breakers. It is unfair to the legal immigrants who are going through our system and waiting in line patiently.

The illegal immigrants will ignore any set up that requires them to pay to be here, work temporarily, pay taxes and become identified for who they really are. Their motivation is to sneak in under the radar and make as much money as possible to send back to their homeland. The bottom line is they have no sense of allegience to this country and could care less about it as long as they can reap as many benefits as they can find a way to get their hands on.

Bush is either clueless to what the majority of USA citizens want regarding this issue or he has a hidden agenda that benefits him and the rest of his bloated cronies. And it seems as if there isn't anybody near his power that is willing to stand up and change things for the better.

[erik2590]

Citizenship for people who sneaked into the USA, now that makes since... NOT. Bush is a sell out.

[luvny-2009]

Bush is a bumba$$, he 's trying to help all his buddies keep their cheap help so they can still make their milions. When will all this end we can not wait til 2008!