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Bush Urges Congress To Support Comprehensive Immigration Reforms

President Bush speaks at Yuma Sector Border Patrol Headquarters, May 18, 2006. (©AP/WWP)

By Lauren Monsen
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States' "sovereign responsibility" to secure its borders is fully compatible with its long tradition of hospitality towards immigrants, says President Bush.

In May 18 remarks at the Yuma Sector Border Patrol headquarters in Yuma, Arizona, Bush spoke about the problems associated with illegal immigration and defended his decision to assign some members of the U.S. National Guard to reinforce the presence of Border Patrol agents stationed along the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border.  He also urged legislators to pass immigration reforms that would include a guest-worker program for illegal immigrants who are otherwise law-abiding and have deep roots in their communities.

"I understand that illegal immigration is a serious problem," he said.  "People here [in Arizona] know firsthand that illegal immigration puts big pressure on our local communities, puts pressures on the schools, puts pressures on the hospitals, puts pressure on the state and local budgets, puts pressure on our penal system."

The issue, he explained, is how best to reconcile the need for border security with the equally compelling need to establish a humane approach towards the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, many of whom perform vital roles in the U.S. economy.  Those objectives, Bush added, can be met by adopting a five-part immigration reform proposal that addresses each aspect of the immigration question. (See related article.)

Modernization is one key factor in the president's plan to secure the border. "It's going to take time to get the technology in place, and it's going to take time to train the [additional] Border Patrol agents" who are being hired, Bush said.  "And yet, the need to enforce our border is urgent, and that's why, in coordination with our governors, we're going to send 6,000 National Guard troops to be deployed on the southern border."

Deploying National Guard members along the U.S.-Mexico border is important because it "will get immediate results," he said. Bush emphasized that the National Guard will occupy a supporting role, with the Border Patrol taking the lead.  Only the Border Patrol will be involved in direct law enforcement, the president said.

The president's strategy mandates a larger role for state and local law enforcement in border communities, as well.  "We're going to draw on their expertise and provide new resources," he pledged.  "And we're going to help -- we'll give state and local authorities specialized training to help federal officers apprehend and detain illegal immigrants."

Finally, Bush extolled the merits of his guest-worker proposal, which is designed to balance the needs of U.S. security, U.S. businesses and immigrants.

He dismissed the notion that his proposal amounts to amnesty for illegal immigrants.  Instead, "a temporary worker program would create a legal path for foreign workers to enter a country in an orderly way for a limited period of time," he explained.

By allowing guest workers to enter the United States under a specific set of rules, U.S. businesses are assured of a larger labor force -- and U.S. national security is strengthened by an enhanced ability to keep track of who is entering the country, according to Bush.  "We want to know who is coming in the country, and who is not coming in the country," he told reporters.  "Now these people [guest workers] are going to have to pass a criminal background check, but we've got to recognize there are people here doing jobs Americans aren't doing."

The status of millions of illegal immigrants in the United States must be resolved, Bush reiterated.  "I oppose amnesty," he said.  "Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully, to those who have played by the rules."  However, it does not make sense to deport millions of workers, and it is important for the law to distinguish between someone who has recently entered the country illegally "and someone who has worked here for many years and has a home and raised a family and has a clean record," he argued.

An illegal immigrant "who has got roots in our country ... should pay a meaningful fine, pay their taxes, learn English, prove that they've worked in a job for a number of years, and then that person should be able to apply for citizenship," although that person would have to get in line behind people who emigrated legally, Bush said.

When confronting the dual challenge of immigration and border control, Bush concluded, all elements of this problem must be addressed together -- or none will be solved.  "I strongly believe that Congress needs to pass a comprehensive immigration bill, because you cannot secure the border unless you have all elements of a comprehensive plan in place," Bush said.

On May 19, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales met with community leaders, government officials and law enforcement officers to discuss the president’s plan.

“As the chief law enforcement officer of the land, I stress the importance of cooperation and communication between federal authorities and local communities. We will need to work together, to reform our immigration policies and instill a culture of law-abidingness, where it has been lacking,” Gonzales said. He emphasized that under the president’s plan, federal officials would be working more closely than ever with state and local law enforcement agencies.

A transcript of the president’s remarks and a fact sheet on funding proposals for his immigration initiative are available on the White House Web site. The full text of Gonzales’ prepared remarks is available on the Justice Department’s Web site.

For more information on U.S. policies, see Visas, Passports and Immigration.