Fact Sheet: Fair and Secure Immigration Reform

White House ^ | Jan 7, 2004 | Bush Administration

[TheDon]

Not exactly what was predicted in the press.

It's quite disingenuous to say there are jobs that Americans won't fill. There are jobs that employers don't want to pay Americans to fill.

If enacted, how will this change the illegal immigrant problem? That will be interesting to see.

[JohnGalt]

"A more secure homeland -- to improve the efficiency and management of all people who cross our borders"

9/11 Changed Nothing.

[AAABEST]

PROPAGANDA, LIES and BETRAYAL

[Shermy]

The program would be open to new foreign workers,

Because, ya know, not only are there no Americans to take the jobs, we don't have enough illegals too!

Stripmining of the American people marches on...

[steve8714]

It is incorrect to say Americans won't take these jobs. Americans won't attend on Monday or Friday, or do the job in a competent fashion. I blame the education establishment and baby boom parents, who differentiate between and make value judgements about jobs.
All work carries dignity. All who work deserve respect.
Not all jobs carry enough value to pay enough to subsist in the U.S. at what we would consider an acceptable level.
This does not mean I support this, because I don't. US manufacturers are looking at the day when we don't have jobs to buy the goods they import to our country, so they need the immigrants to work.

[Moose4]

I'm not buying this. My wife used to work as secretary to an immigration lawyer. Supposedly, companies applying for an H-1B had to "make every effort" to fill the job with an American citizen before they went and got the visa candidate.

Guess what? All they did was pick out the visa candidate first, then write the job description to fit that person's skills and experience EXACTLY. Most of the time, the companies NEVER bothered to do any significant searching for an American citizen to fill the position. They decided on the visa candidate they wanted ahead of time.

I have no more faith in this guest worker program than I do in the H-1B and L-1 programs, which are abused to the detriment of both the American worker, and the foreign workers in the programs. Let's get real, if Juan and Juanita snuck across the border and have been working here for four years under the radar, are they really going to apply for a "blue card" when (a) they have to pay for it, and (b) they'll have to leave the country after three years? Suuuuure, they will. And even if they do, suuuuuure, they'll leave.

How do you deport them when we can't deport the ones already here? What do you do if Juanita's had a couple of kids--kids that, due to their birthplace, ARE legal American citizens? Do you send the whole family back to Juarez even though the tots are citizens?

I have no problem with legal immigration. I would love to see a program where thousands of Mexican immigrants could come here legally, work toward becoming citizens, get jobs, pay taxes, and become productive members of AMERICAN society (note the emphasis there). But I'm dead-set against any program that rewards people for sneaking across the damn border.

Set up a guest-worker program, OK, fine. But only do it AFTER massive sweeps to deport illegal immigrants, and AFTER sealing the border. And Vincente Fox can choke on it if he doesn't like it.

}:-)4

[clownboy]

What the heck is he thinking?!

Conservatives HATE this, liberals HATE this.

I'll vote for him again, but now ONLY because the nine dwarves don't appeal to me at all.

Not ONE word about the real problem taking American jobs - the HR1B visas issued by the thousands and offshoring.

[steve8714]

I would however support this program in the construction trades if the prevailing wage provisions are taken off Federally funded construction.

[Huck]

Employers must make every reasonable effort

Can you imagine the lawsuits this could trigger? Claimant is an American who says he was willing to work but...

[kimoajax]

Originally I was against this. But the more I thought about it the more questions I have.

Who is going to work and pay SS and all the taxes to support the boomers fixing to retire. It clearly won't be all the American children we as nation allowed to be aborted.

[gubamyster]

ping

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

...This new program would allow workers who currently hold jobs to come out of hiding and participate legally in America's economy while not encouraging further illegal behavior...

Amnistia del serape.

[Huck]

Originally I was against this. But the more I thought about it the more questions I have.

That's a rational response. I am nowhere near knowing what to make of this policy--this being my first look at it.

[Joe Boucher]

This president that i have whole heartedly supported as a Republican, has spent monies like a drunk sailor on shore leave. This president has enlarged the federal budget by giving the Dems an incredibly large boost in the education dept. budget. This president has not acted like a frugal fiscal conservative and now he wants to legitimatize illegals throughout this country simply to woo the latin vote?
What about taking care of his conservative base???????
Is there a lick of difference between the dems and repubs. in this country in reality?
What about shrinkiing control of life in this country by govt?
What about states rights? What about the constitution?
I am now very disappointed in the way things in our country are now going.
Socialism and rewarding illegals with my money.
It's B.S.

[eeman]

If enacted, how will this change the illegal immigrant problem? That will be interesting to see.

I agree. I do not see how this changes anything. If previously-undocumented (illegal) immigrants gain some type of documented status, even if it is not amnesty, they will be able to organize at the workplace.

In addition to not having to provide them any type of benefits, I am sure that one of the other advantages of hiring illegal aliens is that you can fire them without cause, or threaten to call the INS. Those advantages would be nullified under this plan.

[Little Bill]

Good assessment, it still isn't going to stop Illegals.

[JohnGalt]

We are ruled by two sets of egotistical Marxists whose rule would shame the King of Fools:

Birthrate down thanks to birth control and abortion?

No problem, we'll import the difference!

[AAABEST]

The pain of being a Red Sox Fan.

Oh my, you poor thing. I'm very sorry for what Mr. Buckner did to you. Is there anything I can do to help?

[Shermy]

I'm not buying this. My wife used to work as secretary to an immigration lawyer. Supposedly, companies applying for an H-1B had to "make every effort" to fill the job with an American citizen before they went and got the visa candidate.

It was a meaningless procedure, caluculated to fail while giving the semblance of power.

The planned failure was successful, so naturally Bush is employing it again.

[Little Bill]

Communist.