Posted on 09/27/2004 11:40:43 PM PDT by Robert Lomax
The U.S. has no plans to deploy troops along the Mexican border to stanch the deluge of illegal aliens currently pouring into the country at the rate of 3 million per year, President Bush said in an interview broadcast on Monday.
"As the governor of Texas, I was very aware of this issue," Bush told Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly.
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"There is a long border, that makes it hard to control. We have beefed up places along the border to try to stop" the flow, he said. When told that his policy didn't seem to be working, Bush insisted, "It’s working a little better.
"They're doing a pretty good job down in Arizona, which is the main border crossing. ... I think there's a thousand more border patrol agents along the border. We’re modernizing border techniques, we’re using better surveillance methods to stop this crossing at the border."
The president contended, however, that illegal immigration was driven primarily by the economic realities of the region.
"If you can make 50 cents in the interior of Mexico and five bucks in the interior of the United States, you're coming for the five bucks," he explained.
"I happen to believe the best way to enhance the border is to have temporary-worker cards available for people," he said. "I think the long-term solution for this issue on our border is for Mexico to grow a middle class. That's why I believe in NAFTA."
When warned that "a lot of people are not going to like that answer," Bush told O'Reilly, "Well it’s a, a truthful answer."
BTTT
Good thing there's a WOT for his reelection sake!
No, the best way to deal with ths problem is to have Mexico invest and develop an actual economy- NOT the United States.
"If you can make 50 cents in the interior of Mexico and five bucks in the interior of the United States, you're coming for the five bucks," he explained.
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I have to stop reading this, it's making me ill. Mr. President had a great interview with BOR, but this subject is a loser for him. For both sKerry and Bush...but this one could really get a lot of us dead and bleeding, literally...do they want that? I have to assume yes unless security really is the priority, not a wing and a prayer...
Simple. First, build an Israeli type fence the runs the entire length of the border, except make the fence out of wire so as not to obstruct the beautiful view and electrify the fence to a painful, but non-lethal level. Of course, you will need warning signs in mutiple languages, and while some may sneak over or under the fence the numbers will pale compared to the numbers illegally crossing the border today. And yes, I understand the wall would cost a few billion dollars to build and maintain, think of the project as a government work program that pumps money back into the local economy and think of the cost of maitaining the illegals under the current approach.
Second, build large GITMO type detention facilities for those caught illegally crossing the border as opposed to the current procedure of turning the illegals loose with an appearance ticket. When an illegal is caught crossing the border, LEO would check him or her for terrorist connections, criminal warrants, and prior illegal entries. If the person is clean, then he or she has the choice of immediate return over the border or respit at the detention facility, where they can remain until their case is heard, with the understanding that they can opt at any time for deportation if they don't like the conditions at the detention facility or get tired of waiting for their INS hearing. If a detained illegal has links to terrorism or an arrest warrant, then that person would be dealt with through the criminal system. Illegals with prior detention records for illegal entry would also be dealt with in the criminal justice system.
Third, initiate a limited amnesty program for illegals who can prove residency for at least three years prior to the amnesty effective date, provided they are not on the terror list or wanted for criminal activity. (This is necessary for the effectiveness of the next item.)
Fourth, all LEO working for any state or local government that receives federal funds must detain any illegal who has not timely applied for amnesty (no excuses). This does not mean that LEO must raid diners and construction site for illegals. It does mean that if an illegal is pulled over for speeding or running an stop sign and doesn't have the proper ID (proof that he has timely applied for amnesty), then LEO must detain the illegal for transport to one of the detention centers referenced above. While this might cause hardship in some cases, that's one of the risks of being an illegal.
Fifth, pending the construction of the fence and detention facilities referenced above, deploy 50,000 reservists and national guard across the 2000 mile southern border. 10,000 soldiers on patrol at any given time means approximately 5 soldiers per mile.
Sixth, no matter how much the PC leftists bitch and no matter how much the business world complains about the shortage of cheap labor, have some balls and hold a steady course.
Fine. And when Mohammed Atta Watta Batta sneaks in posing as Jose Hernandez, I am sure you will come up with a good explanation, won't you?
They multiply pretty fast. Come visit East LA. I think the average couple has 8 kids.
Thanks for trying to paint us all as racists. Too bad you are sad and wrong.
I care about my tax dollars going to the feeding and care of the anchor babies of the illegals. I care about the ERs that are shutting down because illegals use them as doctor's offices and then don't pay the bills. I care about the children of illegals getting in-state tuition to go to college. I care about wherew my money is going.
The Irish didn't feed off the taxpayers.
Yep, it's like that old ivory tower joke, the beautiful thing about making it to the top is you get to kick the little people on the way up and on the way back down..
We're gonna get it coming and going if the people of America don't intervene first IMHO.
I want to address your idea for border security after the next cup of coffee (lol), but did you notice in Bush's tone and in his words on this text that Bush disputed the numbers with a tone of almost like 'hey, we know the number, it's managed, it's under control, etc.'?
I stand here and can envision President Bush and President Fox toasting to the complete dissolution of our mutual borders, language and cultures into one Amexicanacan State of the United States of the Americas...that's how much his answers regarding our border security really disturb me.
Yeah, you really have to love NAFTA. It really stopped all that illegal immigration. It stopped it within 10 years. </sarcasm>
The only problem is that shwooshing sound never stops.
Wow, it really is all about borders, language and culture...everyone comes here and changes ours. I've had it with this entire situation 100% and I'm disgusted that our borders are a gathering threat to which no quantifiably significant changes have been or are going to be made. This situation is simply not safe or smart and the fact that 'we know, we understand, it's no big deal, move along now' is the President's attitude in his own words - yikes! Talk about leaving a door wide open ...
He's right. You can't "close" the border. We need to work on inland security and make it harder to for people to live here illegally.
People got across the Berlin Wall, you'll never be able to lock down our entire border with Mexico.
BTTT
Saying it won't just because one thinks it won't proves nothing.
I say we give it a try, just for one year!
Never? Are you OK with 25,000 M.E. illegal invaders coming in from Slamic nations the last 12 months? Unaccounted for, living here, invaded our borders. Never is not true (100% no, but 99.999998% yes), because if we applied 21st available technology to increase security on the NK/SK border, which we are so that we can leave, we can do it on both our borders. The question is why not try if we can possibly can. This whole can of worms ends up with people in America dead or having to see our blood in our streets. It needs to be addressed seriously as America's top domestic priority, not just winded at anymore.
winked
There are just that many coming across. There are Mexican towns that can't find any locals to do simple maintenance jobs. There are Mexican towns that now exist only because locals who've left return to VISIT. It was first posted right here on FreeRepublic.
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