Bush Defends Immigration Deal

President Slams Critics Who Say Plan Offers Amnesty To Illegal Immigrants

(CBS/AP)  At a training center for Border Patrol and immigration agents, President Bush offered a rhetorical confrontation Tuesday to critics of his immigration plan, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports.

"I'm sure you've heard some of the talk out there, people defining the bill. It's clear they haven't read the bill," Mr. Bush said. "They're speculating about what the bill says and they're trying to rile up people's emotions."

Mr. Bush appealed to skeptics of the plan to give it a chance, saying it will make the borders more secure and treat illegal immigrants with respect — but not amnesty.

"My answer to the skeptics is, 'Give us a chance to fix the problems in a comprehensive way that enforces our border and treats people with decency and respect. Give us a chance to fix this problem. Don't try to kill this bill before it gets moving,'" Mr. Bush said.

He attacked opponents of the plan, suggesting they "don't want to do what's right for America."

"The fundamental question is, will elected officials have the courage necessary to put a comprehensive immigration plan in place," Mr. Bush said against a backdrop of a huge American flag at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

He described his proposal, which has been accepted by a bipartisan group of senators, as one that "makes it more likely we can enforce our border and at the same time uphold the great immigrant tradition of the United States of America."

Mr. Bush spoke at the nation's largest training center for law enforcement. He chose the get-tough setting as a counter to conservative critics' ferocious denunciation of a Senate proposal as being soft on people who break the law. Hoping to blunt that message, Mr. Bush emphasized that any new options for immigrants and foreign workers would not start until tougher security is in place.

The presidential stop came during a congressional recess, with senators back home and facing pressure from both left and right on the immigration plan. His aim is to build momentum for the legislation, perhaps his best chance for a signature victory in his second term. The Senate expects to resume debate on it next week.

Mr. Bush repeatedly cast the matter as one of political courage.

"Those determined to find fault with this bill will always be able to look at a narrow slice of it and find something they don't like," the president said. "If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it.

"You can use it to frighten people," Mr. Bush said, "or you can show leadership and solve this problem once and for all."

The bill would give temporary legal status to millions of unlawful immigrants, provided they came forward, paid a fine and underwent criminal background checks. To apply for a green card, evidence of legal residency, they would have to pay another fine, learn English, return to their home country and wait in line.

The plan also would create a guest worker program. It would allow foreign laborers to come to the United States on a temporary basis, but with no guarantee they eventually could gain citizenship.

Both the new visa plan and the temporary worker program are contingent on other steps coming first. Those include fencing and barriers along the Mexico border, the hiring of more Border Patrol agents and the completion of an identification system to verify employees' legal status.

The legislation also would reshape future immigration decisions. A new point system would prioritize skills and education over family in deciding who can immigrate.

Georgia's senators both played leading roles in producing Mr. Bush's deal with the Senate. However, they have also said they may not support the final bill, depending upon how it is amended.

[infidel_us]

The immigration deal is INDEFENSEABLE!!!!! Can you not understand or feel the will of the people on this issue????

I am now beginning to see the other side of the coin on this guy......how can he "slam critics who say the plan offers amnesty"....IT DOES. *** would you call it, Mr. Bush?????

[randalds]

I never in my life thought I'd agree with Bush on anything, but real immigration reform is the one thing I can say I hope he succeeds at. Still from what I've heard of this proposal so far, it doesn't stand chance because it goes too far for those on the right and not far enough for people like me.

Immigration reform is strengthen the borders, require all undocumented workers already here to learn conversational level english, pass a criminal background check and then swear them in as full citizens after a 5 year waiting period. That's it. That's all. No fine and no going back to their home country to get a visa stamp. Anything more then that and then I encourage them to stay under the radar and undocumented.

[tucano2]

Every American ought to mail a white surrender handkerchief to each Senator supporting the sell-out of America to the Illegal Aliens. Do not bother sending any to the anti-Americans in the Senate who are being paid off by the Multinational Corporations who are most likely to benefit from this largest ever Corporate Welfare give-away of the sovereignty of the USA

[vet999999]

This is nothing but trouble. Our kids, grandkids will have a majority of "residents" that will not fight for anything, stand up for neighbors and will always run away from anything that will not put money in their pockets.

This is wrong, it is illegal, it is imoral and it is contrary to our own constitution that gives us the right to say who comes in this country.

One of the guys that got amnesty under Mr. Reagan was the shooter at the CIA, remember.

[realpatriot1]

I support most of what this bill tries to do (except trying to placate the rascists who won't be placated).

However, does anyone on either side of the issue take it seriously when Bush says this bill doesn't offer amnesty? Of course it does, because our 40 years of inattentiveness on this issue leaves us with no other realsistic choice.

He should say so, but he won't tell the truth to the right wing on anything.

[omega39-2009]

"The fundamental question is, will elected officials have the courage necessary to put a comprehensive immigration plan in place," Mr. Bush said against a backdrop of a huge American flag at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center."

I'm sick of the "decider" unilaterally deciding what is good for the country, first Iraq, then SS and now this. If the MAJORITY of the people in a democracy are against it, you don't ignore them and do it anyway, that's the basis of dictatorships.

[makeafence]

Regardless of ideology, this bill should be opposed because it wastes an enormous amount of money and doesn't solve anything. It fails to improve border security; in fact its 370 miles of proposed fencing is a downgrade from the 700 miles already mandated by existing law. It does not state if/how it will locate those who do not come forward for a probationary visa or those whose visas expire. If people are successfully living "in the shadows" now, why would they leave the country and pay a $5K fine? Nothing in this bill works or makes sense, from any angle.

[nottellin1]

'Give us a chance to fix the problems in a comprehensive way that enforces our border and treats people with decency and respect. Give us a chance to fix this problem. Don't try to kill this bill before it gets moving,

GDit, the government had a chance in 1986. They obviously blew it big time. Now they want another chance to screw US worse?

[edweirdness]

What a monumantal moron! What our President in his own inept way was trying to say was, would any legislators be willing to usurp the will of the American people and support this egregious legislation? I guess we have our answer. Senator's who supported this piece of "work" have betrayed their constituents. It's time for a new revolution folks. It's time we turned these idiots out of office as often as we can, until such time as they can convince us that they will defend the interests of America's Citizens over those of the foreign nationals and governments and the cheap labor advocates!

[vet999999]

It is time to dust of term limits

[omega39-2009]

Last week the senate changed the guest worker program from 400,000 with an option to add 200,000 more as the market required. NBC nightly news also reported last week that the bill contains a provision to let in 1.2 million agricultural workers, so, what jobs that Americans don't want will be taken by the proposed 600,000?

[vet999999]

There is already no limit on the number of H1A (i think that is the right one) temporary work visas but the "sponser" has to meet minimum wage, supply housing, transportation and health insurance etc but they don't want to pay for the extras so now the senate is expanding the number of open visas to get around it.

[standlee5]

Mr. Bush we don't trust you to fix a bloody thing. And the lousy Democrat traitors who support this bill should move to Mexico if they prefer serving Mexican citizens to American citizens.

[nottellin1]

One of the worst votes in the seate last week was voting down an amendment to revisit the guest worker program in 5 years to see if the program and the numbers still made sense. I can't think of a single reason that we would not want to reevaluate the gw in 5 years.

[standlee5]

There is not one bit of "reform" in this bill. It does nothing to stop future illegal invasion in fact it promotes it by rewarding amnesty. Quit playing politics with OUR country Congress. We're not going to take this lying down. Note to Congress: It's our country we fought for it, our parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents fought for it, our kids are fighting for it and you don't OWN this bloody country.

[vet999999]

Quit playing politics with OUR country Congress. We're not going to take this lying down. Note to Congress: It's our country we fought for it, our parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents fought for it, our kids are fighting for it and you don't OWN this bloody country.


I love this....great post standlee5

[omega39-2009]

As for the hollow promises to strengthen Boarder security;


Less than two months after voting overwhelmingly to build 370 miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico, the Senate yesterday voted against providing funds to build it.
"We do a lot of talking. We do a lot of legislating," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, the Alabama Republican whose amendment to fund the fence was killed on a 71-29 vote. "The things we do often sound very good, but we never quite get there."
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20060714-120633-1188r.htm

Does anyone seriously believe with the bill coming due for the debacle in Iraq that there will be money for this?

[crater7]

give us a chance to fix the problems in a comprensive way;

Mr. Bush, we have been waiting four years for you to fix the blunder you created in Iraq.

How long will it take for you to fix our own border problems?

[frankinaz]

Give an illegal immigrant respect? Then one can give respect to liars and people who commit perjury on their W-9 and other forms. Respect to the employers of illegal immigrants; especially the large multi-billion U. S. corporations who employ these people, and banks who put greed ahead of American laws and morals. Respect to illegal immigrants who resort to forgery so they can obtain goods and services that only legal citizens should be able to obtain. Respect to Mexico and other countries, that keep dumping their people and their people's problems and expenses on the U. S. taxpayers, and then these conutries turn around ask for more aid money from the U. S.?
Respect is the last thing anyone involved in illegal immigration deserves-No one should break the law and be rewarded for their efforts.

[susanhelit]

Make that lousy republican traitors - they're voting down the good amendments - if there's any way to make a good bill out of this piece of sludge.

Whatever it costs, I'm voting out the senators and represenatives who vote for it. That'll hurt - some good people, but if they vote for this, they have to go.

[susanhelit]

This isn't comprehensive - it's a giveaway to a bunch of special interests - trying to buy illegals votes, make businesses happy with a flood of cheap labor, make the churches happy with new parishoners, make pro-illegal groups happy by giving away the store, with a few tough-sounding measures that they can choose not to enforce as camoflauge.

This is a huge batch of political pork, wrapped in lies and false promises of enforcement.

[michaelcook2]

I see a bleak future - recession, housing costs, food, and gas prices skyrocketing, trillions of dollars of Bush Administration debt, and our Senate legalizing 12-20 million illegal immigrants to go after our already strained job market! And more millions eligible for welfare, medicare, social security tax dollars, college admissions? Isn't it already hard enough to get by? America is about to get very ugly. I wish the government would give working class Americans in this country a break!

[omega39-2009]

Amazing, in the opinion section both the editors of the Nation and the editors of the National Review Online are opposing this bill. Both sides of the isle see this as a sellout.

[vastr-wcon]

Dubya can put all the lipstick on his P-O-S AMNESTY pig and it will still be one of the worst pieces of legislation since the LAST AMNESTY bill.

The Kennedy-Kyl-Bush AMNESTY (for more than 20 MILLION ILLEGALS - not the 12 Million number the media ignoranti use), like the Reagan AMNESTY, is critically flawed in many areas. The most important flaw concerns DROP-BABIES. Anyone that has been in a hospital in southern California, New Mexico, Arizona or Texas knows that thousand of pregnant illegals are there to give birth to their DROP-BABIES, who are guaranteed US citizenship. The taxpayers generally have to pay the bills for each of these DROP-BABIES for decades - at enormous costs.

The Repugs are helping their corporate backers with cheap labor - that also depresses wages for legal Americans - through their proposed guest worker item. The Dems are helping themselves with new potential party members and new recruits for their union bosses. But NOBODY is helping the US taxpayers being gouged by the DROP-BABIES, at a cost well beyond the trillions for the endless NEOCON wars. The invasion of illegals will continue as long as the DROP-BABY incentive exists.

The DROP-BABIES will, undoubtedly, be the ones to lead the push for the next, third, mass AMNISTIA. (After TWO AMNESTIES the illegals certainly will expect more and more and more of them.) American citizens are being ill-served by their so-called "representatives" in government.

[jimfinster]

Whatever happened to George (we are a nation of laws) Bush? Just change the law to make the illegal become legal, no problema. Brilliant.

[nottellin1]

If anyone does not believe that this is a silent invasion, check the new items at this link:

http://www.aztlan.net/

[infidel_us]

This is a huge batch of political pork, wrapped in lies and false promises of enforcement.
Posted by SusanHelit at 04:11 PM : May 29, 2007

I agree 100%. The more I hear, the less I like. And for this idiot to stand there and actually try and defend it as "not amnesty" is to insult our collective intelligence.

I've written my two loser senators from GA. Got the 'canned' response.....will continue to write and call.

[randalds]

However, does anyone on either side of the issue take it seriously when Bush says this bill doesn't offer amnesty? Of course it does, because our 40 years of inattentiveness on this issue leaves us with no other realsistic choice.

He should say so, but he won't tell the truth to the right wing on anything.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 03:12 PM : May 29, 2007

Amen and correct right down the line. This is an amnesty program and I for one have no problem calling it that because, as you point out, our inattention for the last 40 years leaves us no choice but to do it. It doesn't matter where a person falls on the political spectrum or how they feel about amnesty. It is the only realistic option and that's why it has bipartisan support in the Senate. They know the truth of this fact.

[nottellin1]

Calling our representitives is the best option. There is no way to be sure that e-mail or letter mail is even read. Find phone numbers at:

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

or call the capital switchboard at

1-866-340-9281

Good luck.

[nottellin1]

Calling our representitives is the best option. There is no way to be sure that e-mail or letter mail is even read. Find phone numbers at:

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

or call the capital switchboard at

1-866-340-9281

Good luck.

[mikealford3]

He(Bush) attacked opponents of the plan, suggesting they "don't want to do what's right for America."


As if George Bush knows what's best for America? He obviously has not shown that over the past several years.

[cpaide]

It's time to deport Bush and both Houses of Congress to Mexico, along with the 20 to 50 million ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Let's at least deport Kennedy and the other long-time public abusers from Washington D.C. by implementing TERM LIMITS.

NO AMNESTY for these law-breaking politicians who refuse to enforce provisions of the last amnesty and who endanger this country's citizens by not SECURING THE BORDER NOW.

[bill1fj]

Mr. Bush Do Your Job.
Enforce existing laws and rules.
No Amnesty.
Deport any illegal aliens here.
Fine and/or jail anyone that hires them.
All illegal aliens should go home and then apply and follow the rules like the millions of Legal Aliens that have come here.
Vote any government official at any level that supports amnesty our of office.
Write, call and email your Senators, Representative, local politicians, and newspapers with your feelings about this.
Mr. Bush Do Your Job.
No Amnesty.

[lorinkundert]

No Mr President, The people slam you and will remove any member of congress who votes for it.

[sharncedar]

Is Bush admitting that he refuses to enforce the current laws? That actually is a serious violation of the constitution. Yet the corproate media gives him a pass again. Sigh. A very sad situation, this was a great country, it was our democracy and our laws and respect for laws that made it so.

A president who refuses to enforce the law and lectures us that we don't want "what's best for America". My god, shut your lousy mouth, at least. You've ruined our democracy, at least shut your ugly, accusing mouth.

[sharncedar]

"Amnesty" means you do not get prosecuted for a crime. This bill does not offer amnesty. With amnesty, the illegals would be deported or go home, and they would not be put in prison. Perhaps their illegal entry would also be expunged from their records, and not preclude them from a future immigration, according to the rules, and waiting behind all the others who applied first.

This is a criminal rewards program. To receive citizenship is not "amnesty" , it is a reward. For example, if you get tax amnesty for back taxes, you still have to pay them, you don't get off and away with the crime, or rewarded. You just don't go to jail.

This is not amnesty. This is a frequent criminal rewards program.

[lorinkundert]

"The fundamental question is, will elected officials have the courage necessary to put a comprehensive immigration plan in place." No the question is really will our elected officials do what the public demand of them for a change.

[southmsdixon]

"From the melting pot of life in this free land all men and woman of all nations who come hither emerge as Americans and nothing else. They must have renounced completely and without reserve all allegiance to the land from which they or their forefathers came. And it is a binding duty on every citizen of this country in every important crisis to act solidly with all his fellow Americans, having regard only to the honor and interest of America, treating every other nation purely on its conduct in that crisis, without reference to his ancestral predilections or antipathies. If he does not act, he is false to the teachings and lives of Washington and Lincoln; he is not entitled to any part or lot in our country and he should be sent out of it." - - (Theodore Roosevelt, "The Children of the Crucible" New York, Sept. 9, 1917)

[makeafence]

"The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs."
- Ted Kennedy, 1965

"This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal aliens. We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this."
- Ted Kennedy, 1986

"Now it is time for action. 2007 is the year we must fix our broken system."
- Ted Kennedy, 2007

"Give us a chance to fix the problems."
- Jorge Shrub, 2007

No mames, penche Jorge! Sorry, no more chances for Chappaquiddick Ted. And you had 6 years of chances to secure the borders and accomplished nothing.

- Secure the borders.
- Withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities.
- Deport illegal aliens with criminal records or who are gang members.
- Prosecute, fine, and imprison anyone who hires an illegal alien.

[nottellin1]

Give us a chance to fix the problems."
- Jorge Shrub, 2007

If all they really wanted is a chance, they would have passed Senator Sessions ammendment to revisit the number of guest workers in 5 years and make other aspects have reevaluation stop gaps.

[sclaires]

My question is "Why is Bush so he!! bent and determined to get this immigration bill passed despite the opposition of the majority of the people in the US?" There is something behind his motive and it just isn't that it is "for the good of the country". Remember, our elected officials are supposed to do what the people want them to do and not what special interests and lobbiests want!!!!

[nottellin1]

Bush is looking to find his place in history and is trying anything so his will not be remembered as a completely failed presidency. Sadly, he is so out of touch he doesn't get that this bill will be the death of America. Egad, that is a heck of a thing to be remembered for. No one in our current government seems to understand that they will be voted out or retired before there is a chance for political gain in the form of votes if this is passed.

[airlethal]

The law breakers must be rounded up and deported. That is the only acceptable plan. Make illegally entering our country a capital offense. There is no reason for debate listen to your base President Bush. Globalization is not our destiny. The only courageous thing is for you to uphold the constitution as you swore to and follow the will of the people.

[nottellin1]

He described his proposal - which has been agreed to by a bipartisan group of senators - as one that "makes it more likely we can enforce our border - and at the same time uphold the great immigrant tradition of the United States of America."

'makes it more likely'? What does that mean? I thought border security was part of the bill, not more likelyto be secure and yes I do know that the bill does not really make the border secure but to have Bush come right out and say it, wow.


"A lot of Americans are skeptical about immigration reform, primarily because they don't think the government can fix the problems," Bush said.

Boy you can say that again. Maybe because the government won't enfore the laws that we have now and because it is only "most likely" that our border will be secure.

[lestb35]

- Withhold federal funds from sanctuary cities.
Posted by makeafence at 07:36 PM : May 29, 2007


YES!!! What kind of anarchy is that? Absolutely no Federal funding for anarchcities.

[starleo146]

sclaieres BIG BUSINESS--CHEAP LABOR FORCE---FORCE US OUT.

[airlethal]

NO AMNESTY. DEPORT the racist coward criminals.

[lestb35]

Posted by RandalDS at 04:39 PM : May 29, 2007

Randal, this bill is not the only realistic option. Prosecuting and fining employers is the only realistic option. Let the people go home to Mexico on their own.

[starleo146]

There are so many loopholes in this bill and the cost, no one is telling us that. Someone better secure the border and the ports that is what I want. I just don't get it I know big business is pushing this and the catholic church we cannot hire enough FDA inspectors to check the food that comes into this country and border guards we need and they say Americans do not want jobs. Hire Chinese to check our food and Mexicans to check the border. I know I am being facetious but not that far off.

[airlethal]

NO AMNESTY. DEPORT the racist coward criminals.