President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program [Transcript]

The White House ^ | Jan 7, 2004 | President George W. Bush

[txdoda]

This is a guest worker program good for 3 years and then you have to return home.>>>>>

What happens when the 'temp workers' give birth to an 'Anchor Baby', most illegals are well aware they won't be deported once they birth this new U.S. citizen.

To believe 'temps' wouldn't take advantage of this same 'loop hole' is absurd.

[Mad Dawgg]

Bump for later

[McGavin999]

That's a good point. I'm totally opposed to the idea of anchor babies and that must be addressed in the legislation.

[alnick]

Some of the jobs being generated in America's growing economy are jobs American citizens are not filling.

This is the quote from the speech. Not filling, will not do, same difference.

Is that statement true? If it is, why shouldn't he say it?

[Aetius]

You're right, but unfortunately it would probably take a Constitutional Amendment to get rid of the unintended disgrace of anchor babies.

I've read extensively about the immigration issue, and I know that right now we are admitting about one million legal immigrants per year. Yet Bush says that Congress needs to increase the annual alotment of 'Green Cards" from 140,000 to some unspecified higher level.

My question is this: What exactly does a 'Green Card' entail? Is it one specific category of a visa? It can't encompass all immigration because we already admit about 8 times as many people as the limit Bush quoted. So what was he talking about?

Whatever the case, its nice to know that Bush has continued the tradition of thumbing his nose to what most polls show to be the majority position on this issue which is to reduce legal immigration, get serious about stopping illegal immigration, and not reward illegals with such things as amnesty and drivers licenses, and in-state tuition.

And does anyone really doubt that any 'guest' that wants to get permanent residency after the 3 or 6 yrs ends won't get it? Of course they will. Then they can sposor their extended families and already mass levels of legal immigration will skyrocket to even higher levels.

[McGavin999]

You replied to the wrong post. My #50 was explaining what McCain said about how the posting of jobs would work.

[txdoda]

There are two "punishments" in there that have NEVER been in the amnesty program. Posting a fee, >>>>>>

All the 245(i) 'mini' amnesties required proof of employment & to PAY A FEE.

[McGavin999]

A green card means you can apply for citizenship after a waiting period. The blue card would not. It would only mean you are allowed to stay here for a period of 3 years to work and then must return home.

If a blue card worker wants to become a citizen, he has to apply for a green card and wait his turn in order to come in under the immigration quota for his/her country.

Yes, I do think it would work. A lot of people who come here don't give a fig about becoming a citizen. They come here to work and earn money to send home. If you have a green card, and become unemployed you can stay here, if you have a blue card and become unemployed you must return home.

Whether this is effective or not will depend on how it's set up. That should all be included in the legislation (along with the anchor babies). It may even eliminate the anchor baby problem since one of the requiements is you can only bring your family if you can prove that you make enough to support them. A lot of people wouldn't move their families if they know it'll only be 3 years.

[McGavin999]

But the fee is REFUNDABLE when you go home. Ever see that before?

[tommix2]

You are right, I think he should say it.

[txdoda]

In contrast, there would be no fee or registration for a true "amnesty.">>>>

The 245(i) mini amnesties all required the illegals PAY A FEE.

Amnesty is a very different beast, a beast that doesn't send you back to your home country after 3 years.>>>>>>>

Let the 'temps' come here & birth a couple "Anchor Babies", & see how many end up deported, same as now, VERY FEW.

[sweetliberty]

Pure political poppycock. I have never been so disappointed in this president as I am today.

[sweetliberty]

"I wonder why liberals are so angry at President Bush"

Because it isn't an immendiate and unqualified, blanket amnesty for any and all illegals that would put them on the fast track to American citizenship and democRAT votes.

[TigersEye]

It's really nice that so many FReepers are willing to "wait and see" how this all shakes out. It's the generous thing to do for our President. But at this very moment there are tens of thousands of people around the world who aren't waiting another minute to get themselves into the U.S. It doesn't really matter that Congress may never even write a bill. It doesn't matter that the 'guest worker program' may not lead to citizenship. Newpapers and TV newscasts around the world have given desperate people with little education the impression that this is the time to make the move.

[CWOJackson]

"Pure political poppycock."

Don't you think that even President Bush is smart enough to realize that giving a Mexican a guest worker card doesn't entitle them to vote?

[txdoda]

It is virtually impossible to identify and deport 8-15 million men, women and children. >>>>>>

Take away their 'freebies', fine the employers (according to existing laws), & many would deport themselves.

[Southack]

"Do you mean there is no difference between a fee and a fine?"

No, I mean that the difference is inconsequential in this case.

[sweetliberty]

"Don't you think that even President Bush is smart enough to realize that giving a Mexican a guest worker card doesn't entitle them to vote?"

Like that ever stopped them before.

[Southack]

"And they'll do this, . . . why? Because our immigration laws say so?"

No, they will do this because to have gotten to that point they will have had to have *registered* with our government.

That's the whole trick...getting 8 million illegals to tell us where they are all located.

Something that we don't have today, btw.

[CWOJackson]

If he wanted their votes he would have just given them blanket amnesty and made them citizens.