Posted on 01/22/2004 2:02:22 AM PST by putupon
MESA, Ariz. - President Bush said Wednesday that his proposed temporary worker program would help cut back abuses against illegal immigrants by smugglers who slip them across the border.
Bush suggested that the program allowing migrants to obtain renewable three-year labor visas to work here would offer an alternative to using people smugglers, also known as coyotes.
"It's essential to the security of the country that we have a legal system so that we don't have this terrible problem of coyotes smuggling people across the hot Arizona and Texas deserts," Bush said.
Bush led a discussion at Mesa Community College on job training and the economy, echoing themes from Tuesday's State of the Union address, including his guest worker plan.
The proposal was crafted in part with the politics of border states like Arizona in mind.
"Imagine being a worker here and you get abused and you don't dare call the abuser into account because you might get sent home," Bush said.
More than 300 people died last year while trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally through hazardous terrain, many of them succumbing to the desert heat.
Immigration officials also are increasingly blaming the deaths on the smugglers who guide people through those areas, often leaving behind the weak and tired.
Dealing with smugglers also has become more dangerous in recent years as violent drug dealers have entered the lucrative business.
In Arizona, migrant smugglers have been known to hold immigrants hostage until they or their families pay up. They also steal clients away from rivals and hold them for ransom.
Arizona has become the busiest illegal entry point along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border in recent years as tightened patrols in California and Texas have pushed more illegal immigrants toward the state, immigration officials said.
Bush said his guest worker proposal is an honest approach to helping employers fill jobs that Americans don't want.
"Having people in the shadows of our economy is not really the American way," Bush said.
The plan also would help employers who are put at risk when illegal immigrants use forged documents to get jobs, Bush said.
While his plan would let illegal immigrants with jobs to temporarily work legally in the United States, Bush said his plan wouldn't provide automatic citizenship for workers. <p. "All amnesty would do is invite more illegal immigration," Bush said.
Mierda de toro
The excuse for granting unknown millions of illegal aliens some sort of legal sanctuary, is that it is too tough, nay impossible, to enforce our current immigration laws.
Now, what the heck is a guest worker program going to do to make our border enforcement capability better than it is today ??
NOTHING !!
Sure, people who only want jobs will come across as guest workers because its the path of least resistance.
But, anybody who wants to smuggle something (e.g. drugs, currency, whores, explosives, terrorists) will just continue to walk through the same holes that are there today, and they'll still be there tomorrow.
In fact, because our government obviously places so much faith in the goodwill of these poor people, assured they will ALL comply lawfully with our guest worker program, why we won't even have to patrol the border at all.
George Bush is a moral man, and I support his war on terror -- and there is no acceptable Democrat alternative for President, but our beloved Dubya is selling us down the river on immigration, CFR, social spending, the Patriot Act and affirmative action.
Isn't he listening to us ??
Regardless of party affiliation, from where I sit, an overwhelming majority of Americans (the Silent Majority) want to see America chart a different course on these issues.
He's got us up against the proverbial wall.
Sounds like Bush used the old "say it enough & it's true" technique at this event. No creativity, just rhetoric.
2½ Karl Roves, and thats being generous.
Notes::This is a five scale KR rating system dedicated to
aiding our executive branch in it's Amnesty endeavors with
constructive critique.
If you want on or off the Karl Rove PING list post or Freepmail
Thanks, p
This is racist, to assume that Americans (ie: US citizens) "don't want" the jobs that invaders take. Employers pay less, let the government (ie: taxpayers or the printing presses) foot the bill for all of their needs, and don't have to worry about silly little things like job safety and unemployment taxes.
US citizens will do the jobs if we aren't exploited. I think you'd find that employers found citizens to do the work really quickly if those who hired invaders without proper background checking faced jail time, compensation for wages lost to citizens, and fines.
Grrrr.......
Heh! Dream on! Mexico is a shithole and always will be. Only space cases think that once Mexico is brought close to our economic level illegal immigration will cease.
And our sheets will be whiter, our breath fresher, it cures the gout and bunions, and makes a fine hair tonic, said the snake oil salesman.
No, El Presidente.
Being undocumented makes them practically UNTOUCHABLE by our government.
No documentation = no jurisdiction!
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