Bush Defends Immigration Deal

(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.

[peter776-2009]

Ozilot, I respectfully disagree. The issue of illegal immigration is crystal clear: Millions of uninvited people have invaded my country and they need to go back wherever they came from. The sooner the better. You are correct in your observation that greed is driving this invasion, but it is not the greed of the average person in this country driving this debacle. That honor belongs to the wealthy and the corrupt politicians, who just can't pass up the chance to have a team of virtual slaves in their backyards pruning their roses for pennies on the dollar, or manning their turkey packing plants with people who will not demand a living wage. We have a relatively new phenomenon in this country, namely the ever-increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of the very few (1% of the population in the US now owns 38% of the country's wealth) that is merging with illegal immigration to produce a disaster for this Republic the likes of which have never been seen before. Our culture , our institutions and our democracy are in peril from these twin evils. We average American citizens need to take our government back from the rich and the corrupt, and demand that government act in OUR INTEREST.

[bellal-2009]

If we truly want to fix illegal immigrantion perhaps we need to help those countries, especially Latin AmericaPosted by ozilot at 06:38 AM : May 31, 2007


Well, on this we agree but the Hugo Chavez's and Fidel Castros' of Latin America are not the answer.

[bellal-2009]

But the fact is that consumer demand has motivated businesses and other parties to encourage in not outright participate in smuggling people into this country with little to no consequences...
Posted by ozilot at 03:45 PM : May 31, 2007

I disagree, ozilot, it's twisted logic to think that undocumented labor has any place in a real economy. Demand didn't create this problem greed created this problem. You can have a huge demand for anything if it's cheap enough. The whole argument is ridiculous.... I think I need a couple dozen undocumented workers to help me make jam and sell it for less than anyone who uses legitamate labor. Obviously there will be a demand because it's cheaper than the competition.

[frankinaz]

Starting with Mexico, and many other countries:
These countries need to clean-up their own societies! What is really bothersome is the fact that this country sends out millions of dollars in aid and assistance to countries such as Mexico and others, but very liitle of that money is received by those who need it the most: The common citizens. It is pocketed by the corrupt top leaders and their corrupt governments. Then many of those common citizens enter this country
illegally, and further burden the legal U. S.
taxpayers with their problems. This "double dipping" of legal American taxpayers is absurd, ludicrous, and it needs to end now!

[realpatriot1]

nottellin1,

I'm doing so well that I'm over $20,000 in debt.

There are plenty of people in far worse shape than me so I consider myself fortunate but by no means comfortable.

[coffeehead-2009]

After all it isn't as if the world said "oh look there is America" IT WAS AMERICA SAYING "SEE WE ARE PROPEROUS AND FREE, GIVE US YOUR WEAK YOUR POOR YOUR TIRED..." and now we are upset that people bought into this argument and are coming!

Well - that was in consideration of "mayflower americans" (I've decided that is the title of those of us who have generations of funding invested in this country. NOW? Well now wer are ALL WEAK TIRED and POOR and I find it very selfish to suck off the "weak tired and poor".
Besides - tell our original settlers that they would have to give THEIR food, homes and future earnings to these newcomers and the statue of liberty would have come down ages ago.
No one buys any argument today - we just are irrelevent. No welfare payments and I'm in on the plan...


Low-skilled legal immigrants and illegal aliens in the U.S. are receiving much more in federal social welfare benefits than they pay in taxes at a net cost of $89 billion a year to American taxpayers, according to a Heritage Foundation study.
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070524-104520-5637r.htm

[coffeehead-2009]

After all it isn't as if the world said "oh look there is America" IT WAS AMERICA SAYING "SEE WE ARE PROPEROUS AND FREE, GIVE US YOUR WEAK YOUR POOR YOUR TIRED..." and now we are upset that people bought into this argument and are coming!

Well - that was in consideration of "mayflower americans" (I've decided that is the title of those of us who have generations of funding invested in this country. NOW? Well now wer are ALL WEAK TIRED and POOR and I find it very selfish to suck off the "weak tired and poor".
Besides - tell our original settlers that they would have to give THEIR food, homes and future earnings to these newcomers and the statue of liberty would have come down ages ago.
No one buys any argument today - we just are irrelevent. No welfare payments and I'm in on the plan...


Low-skilled legal immigrants and illegal aliens in the U.S. are receiving much more in federal social welfare benefits than they pay in taxes at a net cost of $89 billion a year to American taxpayers, according to a Heritage Foundation study.
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20070524-104520-5637r.htm

[peter776-2009]

The illegal immigration issue has nothing to do with race -- it has to do with millions of people who, uninvited, have invaded my country without permission and now expect to be granted amnesty. What kind of thinking could ever logically lead to such an expectation? The rules are for everyone -- not just some and not others. If illegal immigrants can't even follow basic rules like entering the country legally, then they obviously do not belong here and should go home without passing Go. This is a very simple issue that should never be permitted to be clouded by the confused, vacuous, disingenuous cries of "racism" spouted by those like Ozilot and RandalIDS.

[nottellin1]

You've already stated that your husband has a successful business, that you own 3.5 acres, and you grow your own food and raise your own meat. Congratulations, you've done well. Why not give someone else a chance?
Posted by realpatriot1

You must be doing really well too because apparently you are not seeing that if these invaders are legitimized by this bill, it will be detrimental to the lives of many middle class Americans and will REMOVE THEIR CHANCE to do well.

[realpatriot1]

toldyouso,

I do have an answer for your question. If the people in the "legal line"(more on that later) want the jobs they can already apply for them. Apparently, there are no takers to your plan in the "legal line". Naturalized citizens could get the jobs too. Again, no takers.

Now let's talk about people waiting in the legal line. What are these people waiting on? These are people here working waiting on citizenship. Undocumented workers aren't keeping them from jobs, they have jobs. Undocumented workers aren't making the citizenship process take any longer either, government bureaucrats are doing that.
The legal line argument is totally bogus.

If someone can sneak across the border, forge a social security card and get a job picking tomatoes 7 days a week then why can't you hard working Americans who are blaming them for stealing your jobs?

Toldyouso, you've already stated that your husband has a successful business, that you own 3.5 acres, and you grow your own food and raise your own meat. Congratulations, you've done well. Why not give someone else a chance?