Bush Wants Immigration On The Front Burner

(AP)  President Bush urged lawmakers on Saturday to come together on the complex and emotional issue of immigration, calling it "a critical challenge" now before the nation.

"We need a system where our laws are respected. We need a system that meets the legitimate needs of our economy. And we need a system that treats people with dignity and helps newcomers assimilate into our society," he said in his weekly radio address. "We must address all elements of this problem together, or none of them will be solved at all."

There are an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country, and passions run high on what to do about them. Bush wants to establish a temporary worker program for some of them and create a path to citizenship — albeit a difficult one — for many. He says it is unrealistic to propose that millions of people be deported.

What he likes to call comprehensive immigration reform was once Bush's top domestic priority.

But the president was stymied by members of his own party, who controlled Congress until January. While business and industry are demanding more low-wage workers, many conservatives reject the president's approach as putting the interests of illegal immigrants before those of American workers.

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Listen: President Bush's radio address
Read: Democrats talk Iraq in radio address

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The Senate passed a plan last May that would allow illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship and create a temporary guest worker program for new arrivals. But the proposal died in the House, where tough new border security measures were the priority.

Last October, Bush signed a get-tough bill that authorized 700 additional miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Since then, the White House has been emphasizing that new efforts along the border are having an impact, while quietly looking for bipartisan compromise on broader legislation. Bush says he is determined to enact something — and it is one the few issues on which he might be able to claim victory with Congress in Democratic hands.

He gave that effort a renewed push by devoting his radio address to the topic, and making it the subject as well of a commencement speech he was giving Saturday afternoon at Miami Dade College in Florida.

Bush said the talks are bearing fruit, persuading some who had doubts about comprehensive reform to now be open to it.

"I know convictions run deep on the matter of immigration. Yet I am confident we can have a serious, civil and conclusive debate," the president said. "Our nation deserves an immigration system that secures our borders and honors our proud history as a nation of immigrants."

One approach that grew out of the initial talks between the White House and Capitol Hill would still give illegal immigrants a path to citizenship, although it would be much tougher than a Senate-approved measure. The new approach would require fines, trips back home, long waits and hefty penalties. Conservatives still called it overly permissive, essentially amnesty for illegal behavior.

Most national polls show Americans are overwhelmingly supportive of an immigration overhaul that would allow those here illegally to stay, work and earn their way to legal status.

[tbweb]

RandalDS wrote:

Your apology is absurd because under the conditions you describe you wouldn't allow any immigration whatsoever.
Posted by RandalDS at 01:14 PM : May 01, 2007

--RandalDS

You should take the emotion out of your argument and stick to the facts and not put words in my mouth and post things I didn't say and then argue against statements I didn't make. A legal immigrant would have no need to enter my home illegally if I left the door open for fresh air and I've posted many times I support balanced worldwide legal immigration, look at my previous post. I've never posted I didn't support legal immigration and if you are claiming I did find it and post it here and prove it, I know what I posted. The U.S. has a legal immigration policy and those who obey the law and follow the legal U.S. immigration policy can enter the U.S. and become U.S. Citizens legally. The problem is there is a very long waiting period because so many people from around the world want to come to the U.S.. What these illegal immigrants in the U.S. are doing now is bypassing the legal process and jumping in front of the immigration line, breaking U.S. Laws and I'm against that and don't support it, and its really as simple as that. Get in line and wait your turn, obey U.S. Law and enter the U.S. legally. So I'm the bad guy because I want our laws obeyed? There is plenty of room in the U.S. for those who obey U.S. Laws and enter legally!

[randalds]

Your apology is

Make that analogy...dam*n speel chquecher....

[randalds]

Posted by tbweb at 03:21 AM : May 01, 2007

Your apology is absurd because under the conditions you describe you wouldn't allow any immigration whatsoever. Having people move into our nation is nowhere near the same thing as having someone move into you home for the simple reason that it is small. Our nation is large and has room for people who honestly want to be Americans and the vast majority of illegals do want that. Give them a realistic chance to immigrate legally and they will!

[randalds]

My grandparents had to
wait to come here and fill out paper work. I have nothing against anyone, if you want to be American do it legally.

Posted by solonite at 12:21 PM : May 01, 2007

Your grandparents had a realistic chance of being accepted for citizenship. This is the thing most people do not understand about this issue. The laws have become so draconian that it is virtually impossible to immigrate here from Mexico. If they had a honest path to immigration available to them then the majority of them would take it. Make it legally possible for them to immigrate here and they'll immigrate legally.

[solonite-2009]

I would like to know when it became our only choice to accept millions and millions of law breakers. Why doesn't someone understand that illegal is illegal? If I crossed the border into Mexico and they caught me,they would throw my butt in jail to rot. Why is it wrong to have people come here legally? My grandparents had to
wait to come here and fill out paper work. I have nothing against anyone, if you want to be American do it legally.

[tbweb]

--RandalDS

In a micro context your house is your home. In a macro context the U.S. is your home. So I guess what you're saying is if an illegal Mexican family walked into your home because you happen to leave the door open for some fresh air and they refused to leave and started using your resources, eating your food and sleeping in your home you would just let them stay and not bother them because you don't want to get them upset or start a fight that might spill some blood! Oh and God forbid in the struggle their kids get hurt! I don't think you would put up with that in your micro home and you shouldn't put up with that in your U.S. macro home either! The real problem is people should not put others in that kind of situation to start with and deserve what they get.

[randalds]

It always sounds good to talk tough "I'd rather it be their blood then my money", but once the REAL blood starts flowing it's not about tough talk anymore, it's about real men women and children dying. That is not going to happen in American streets without tens of millions of Americans demanding that it stop. Once the first child is killed all of your public support will evaporate and the only thing that will have been accomplished is the murder of a child. It will not work and it's living in a fantasy land to think it will.

[bellal-2009]

If you try to deport 10-12 million people there will be a bloodbath in the streets. Thousands will die in the fighting and you'll have to recall all of our troops from Iraq to even have a tiny tiny tiny hope of actually do it. It is not only impraticable, it's in-human and will not work.
Posted by RandalDS at 08:04 PM : Apr 30, 2007


No RadalDS, it does work. They will go underground and when they can't work, find housing or aid they will return to Mexico. It will take time but eventually illegals will realize that they need to go home.

[tbweb]

Hey RandalDS, in the old days they use to have to travel half way around the world and bring slaves to the U.S. kicking and screaming in balls and chains, now slaves are just showing up uninvited on their own! Times must really be hard! LOL

[tbweb]

RandalDS wrote:

If you try to deport 10-12 million people there will be a bloodbath in the streets.
Posted by RandalDS at 08:04 PM : Apr 30, 2007

--RandalDS

So communities and legal U.S. Citizens should continue to have a bloodbath with its services, schools and bank accounts? Who pays for this, let everyone who supports illegal alien immigration sign up for an illegal immigration tax and let them pay for it, see how popular it is then! Seems to me either way we bleed, I rather it be their blood and not our money! It also just means it should not be a hap-hazard affair and well planned in advance, and speaking of bloodbath I would also invite the American Red Cross, they can always use more blood and it won't be mine!