Posted on 01/05/2004 5:36:35 PM PST by Pubbie
Edited on 01/05/2004 6:05:54 PM PST by Lead Moderator. [history]
[Moderator's note: threads regarding immigration issues and border issues have been spiralling out of control for some time on Free Republic. This is going to change. Fair warning: this would be a very poor thread to engage in flame warring, flame baiting, or otherwise being needlessly instigative. If you have not yet read this thread, you may want to before engaging in the debate on this or other similar threads. If there are any questions regarding the new scrutiny of these threads, please take them to that thread rather than cluttering up these threads. So far, people have been very cooperative with this effort, and for that I am grateful. Thanks, and happy Freeping.]
President Bush will propose immigration law changes to allow workers from Mexico to enter the United States if they have jobs waiting for them, officials said Monday in previewing an election-year measure intended to bolster support among Hispanic voters.
Advocacy groups were invited to the White House on Wednesday to hear details of the program.
"The president has long talked about the importance of having an immigration policy that matches willing workers with willing employers," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said. "It's important for America to be a welcoming society. We are a nation of immigrants, and we're better for it."
Immigration advocacy groups characterized Bush's move as a politically drawn effort to curry favor with Hispanics, a potent political force, particularly in key states like Florida, California and border states. Two sources speaking on condition of anonymity said Bush would outline a set of principles rather than a detailed piece of legislation, and that the policy statement would draw on bills already pending in Congress.
"It looks very much like a political effort and what they do with these `principles' is going to determine whether this is really a policy initiative or not," said Cecilia Munoz, vice president for policy at the National Council of La Raza. "The Latino community knows the difference between political posturing and a real policy debate."
She said the initiative was crafted by Bush's political strategist, Karl Rove, and that the immigration policy community was excluded from the deliberations.
"We know of no one in the immigration policy community, business groups or Latino groups who has been consulted," she said.
Ensuring Detention and Removal of Illegal Aliens: The Administration is committed to removing those who have entered the country illegally and to detain criminal aliens. The budget funds INS detention and deportation staff and provides resources to remove criminal and illegal aliens swiftly. The 2002 Budget provides $89 million to support an additional 1,607 average daily detention bed spaces for a total level of more than 21,000 bed spaces. INS will continue to target its efforts primarily on removing deportable aliens held in Federal, State, and local facilities to ensure that these criminal aliens are not allowed back on the street. The budget also continues funding to fully implement detention standards to ensure those detained, particularly those who have pending asylum cases, are treated fairly.
And if you don't have a job lined up, pretty close to impossible unless you work for a company here sending you there, you better have alot of wealth and assets. Australia doesn't mess around-they give you a dollar amount. Are you worth XYZ, No? See you later, come back when you are.
Absolutely :-)
Of course it does! All four of my grandparents were foreign born, and they came here to work, and to worship in freedom. It's what America is all about.
Besides which, they brought a great Swedish meatball recipe with them. ;o)
Now you have to post the recipe....... You know the rules :-)
Plus Australia doesn't have 500 million people south of their border living in poverty and willing to do anything to get to their country. They're in a much easier position to pick and choose who gets in.
(You know the one!)
Yes I agree, cut off the job and welfare magnets and they'll stop coming. And quite a few already here will go home on their own.
The last election he got a few hundred dollars from me, this time he won't even get my vote.
If you have a problem with the insects that invade your home because of the food you leave on your dining room table, Stop making the food available for them. Don't try to chase them away one by one while leaving the food on the table.
Hmmm, seems to me that The President of the USA and his cabinet are the REAL immigration policy community since they determine the immigration policy of the USA.
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, at a town hall meeting in Miami last month, hinted at a change of policy when he said the United States needs to "come to grips" with an estimated 8 million to 12 million illegal immigrants and "determine how you can legalize their presence."
pardon me but can we legalize any illegal acts I may or may not have done, rather than levy a fine or imprisonment? I know its alot to ask, me being an american citizen and all
A BS strategy is better than a bad strategy. It sounds like he's not asking for a blanket amnesty --- it seems good that if there is no work for an immigrant to do here, then they wait.
We'll see what else comes with it --- doing nothing is better than doing the wrong thing after all.
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