Bush seeks to ease immigration laws

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 1-6-04 | DEB RIECHMANN ASSOCAITED PRESS

[JustPiper]

WASHINGTON — President Bush is proposing to let foreign workers who have U.S. jobs waiting for them enter America.

Virtually silent on the immigration issue for two years, Bush was working today on remarks he will make about immigration on Wednesday afternoon at the White House to about 150 people active in immigration issues.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan would not say whether the president would announce a detailed proposal, or general outlines of a proposal to match willing foreign workers, mostly from Mexico, with receptive U.S. employers. There are an estimated 10 million undocumented workers in the United States, as many as half of them from Mexico

‘‘It’s the issue of what he’s talked about before — about matching willing workers with willing employers where there are jobs that Americans are not interested in filling,’’ McClellan said.

‘‘That’s an economic need that exists. It’s important that we have a fair immigration policy and an immigration policy that addresses those economic needs,’’ McClellan added.

The announcement comes just before Bush’s scheduled meeting with Mexico’s President Vicente Fox next week at the Summit of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico. Mexican officials have complained bitterly at times that while the Bush administration has sought their help with border security and combatting drug trafficking, they have not acted on their desire for favorable changes in U.S. immigration policy.

Mexican officials have argued that the administration used post-Sept. 11 security concerns as an excuse to better protect, rather than allow freer movement over the U.S.-Mexican border. Tense relations were further aggravated by Mexico’s decision not to support the U.S.-led war in Iraq, and when Bush refused to stop the execution of a Mexican national in Texas.

[Texas_Dawg]

Estamos Condenados!

We're all going to die because the guy mowing the greens at 6am at your local golf course doesn't speak English.

[Beck_isright]

"Well, that and they are usually just much better people than many Americans in my experience."

Then move to Mexico. We do not need open borders. That is the worldwide socialist utopia you dream of, not me.

[Map Kernow]

Todos nosotros estamos condenados.

Y como traidores. Yo les digo eso. Me entiendes, Mendez?

[Texas_Dawg]

Then move to Mexico. We do not need open borders.

I'm not for open borders. I'm for enforcing our borders and bringing across the immigration needed to fill jobs that would otherwise go undone. So is GWB.

[new cruelty]

Reminds me of that song by depeche mode:

Your own personal Jesus
Someone to clean your car
work on your yard

[faithincowboys]

This is precisely what the Left was looking for -- a reason for the base to abandon Bush. And Bush and Rove gave it to them like a gift. The level of political ignorance in that White House is staggering. And what they are doing brings nothing but disunity and chaos to the country. Unfettered immigration without assimilation is a prescription for disaster.

[Texas_Dawg]

I wouldn't be surprised if a Mexican built the bunker you live in. You know... the one protecting you from all those black helicopters? Later, Cletus.

[Age of Reason]

Is the government soft on Mexico because Mexico sells us oil? Is that it?

[Texas_Dawg]

The level of political ignorance in that White House is staggering.

Haha. Really? They won an election they had no business winning (in 2000) and then an unprecedented mid-term rout in 2002. Not to mention having won 2 elections in Texas including defeating a popular sitting governor. Sounds to me like they are at least politically savvy despite whatever else you think of them.

[Beck_isright]

Funny. The farms in the Northeast and Northwest still function without illegals. It's just commiefornia and Texas that "suddenly" in the last 20 years needed illegals. Seal the border now. The solution is simple but the stomach to do it is not.

Fine every employer, sweat shop, or farm $50,000 for each illegal hired. If the fine is not paid within 30 days, the property is seized and auctioned off immediately. Apply the same to property owners who rent housing to illegals. If they don't have a place to live or work, they will not come.

[Map Kernow]

jobs needing to be done that would otherwise go undone when people willing to love this country and work hard would die for the chance.

"Love this country"? Or love its taxpayer benefits, and employers who pay them cash, and apologists like you who are willing to let them break the law just because you think they're better than citizens?

I'll tell you what they love, Dawg: they love to think that about 1/4 of the US national territory belongs to Mexico. And we're letting 10 million irredentists into this country while people like you give them cover by insulting American's work ethic, among other things.

[Texas_Dawg]

Fine every employer, sweat shop, or farm $50,000 for each illegal hired. If the fine is not paid within 30 days, the property is seized and auctioned off immediately. Apply the same to property owners who rent housing to illegals. If they don't have a place to live or work, they will not come.

Too bad no one supports this with you. Well, besides the tiny few of your friends on the FRinge. You're losing, Beck. It's gotta suck. I feel for ya.

[Map Kernow]

I wouldn't be surprised if a Mexican built the bunker you live in. You know... the one protecting you from all those black helicopters? Later, Cletus.

You don't know una mierda, pendejo. Are you an American?

[Texas_Dawg]

and apologists like you who are willing to let them break the law just because you think they're better than citizens?

I'm for enforcing our existing laws and do not support illegal immigration. I also don't support jay-walking, a slightly less harmful offense. Good move by GWB though. A great step towards fixing the problem from a great American conservative President.

[Texas_Dawg]

Are you an American?

Texan, born and raised. Not only that but I'm white too, so you'd probably approve of me for the most part.

[faithincowboys]

We'll see. Why did they need this? Their genuis was in the people that supported them. They seem to have taken the base for granted.

BTW, overlooking the contempt for Clinton/Gore and its influence on the outcome would be unwise. 2002 was a collective, "OK we're going to Iraq, and the President can't be weakened while we're at War."

This amnesty thing will really hurt him. It has been handled terribly. It has been the people in talk radio, on the internet, etc that have kept this Presidency afloat. For Rove to think he is responsible would be wrong. He might even be the one who caused the whole Plame affair.

I think diminishing the passion of the base is really stupid 10 months away from election day. I generally have a good sense of the public mood, this will not help Bush. It is a flipping fantasy on Rove's part that they will get the hispanic vote. This is bad politics and bad for the country.

[Texas_Dawg]

BTW, overlooking the contempt for Clinton/Gore and its influence on the outcome would be unwise. 2002 was a collective, "OK we're going to Iraq, and the President can't be weakened while we're at War."

Win after win after win after win... and on and on and on...

You may hate our President and his team, but one thing are not is stupid. They are winners. And they will win in a rout yet again this year.

The problem I think you're running into is in thinking that a majority of or even large percentage of people agree with you on this issue. Maybe in your community and a few others like it, but the overwhelming majority of Americans don't care, at worst, and fully support it, at best (or worst, from your perspective, I guess).

[Beck_isright]

I'm losing? How? It's an opinion for the cure. It won't happen because RINO's and DINO's now dominate the American political scene. It's better to be on the "FRinge" and have principle than be in the middle and a commodity of the politicians to be bought and sold at will. It's got to suck bleeting yourself to sleep every night, thus it's really got to suck to be you.

[Map Kernow]

I'm for enforcing our existing laws and do not support illegal immigration.

Mentira. Besides in the next stroke of your keyboard, you compare illegal immigration to jaywalking. I guess Mohammed Atta and his bunch were just jaywalking before they hijacked them planes, hunh, Tex?

[Texas_Dawg]

I'm losing? How?

Meaning very few people, relatively, agree with you on your radical federal government protectionist stances. Meaning you and the people you agree with on these issues have clearly not been able to convince enough people their ideas are the best ones to adopt.