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Powell Sees Better Chance for U.S. Immigration Reform
Reuters ^ | Nov 8, 2004 | Arshad Mohammed

Posted on 11/08/2004 8:43:41 PM PST by Ahriman

The U.S. Congress may be more favorable to allowing millions of illegal aliens in the United States to obtain legal status through three-year work permits, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Monday.

"Now that the campaign is behind us and 9/11 is also three years behind us and we have done a lot with respect to securing our borders ... I sense that there could be a more favorable environment," Powell told reporters as he flew to Mexico City for talks expected to focus on the issue.

"It's always a difficult issue before the Congress," Powell said, noting that President Bush told Mexican President Vicente Fox last week "he does want to move forward, beginning with the temporary worker's permit."

On Jan. 7, Bush proposed that millions of illegal aliens, mostly Mexicans, be allowed to gain legal status for an initial three-year period if they can prove they have jobs in the United States. The idea ran into stiff opposition in Congress.

While many American businessmen applaud the idea, it is opposed by groups including lawmakers worried about tracking foreigners following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Union workers concerned about the loss of jobs held by U.S. citizens and conservatives who fear it could appear to reward those who broke the law also oppose the idea.

Fox, who has long sought a way to protect the Mexican migrants who flock north in search of work, said in an interview with CNN television he was ready to fight any anti-immigration attitudes north of the border.

"I firmly hope we will reach a migration accord. And I hope to achieve this at the end of next year, because this is what I am expecting from President Bush," said Fox. "I hope that the only thing we needed was to get past the election."

Under Bush's plan, millions of illegal aliens as well as foreigners abroad could apply for three-year work permits and could renew them as allowed by Congress. The permits would not, however, lead to permanent residence status.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Mexico; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; dos; immigration; mexico; powell
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1 posted on 11/08/2004 8:43:41 PM PST by Ahriman
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To: Ahriman

Once they're here, they're permanent whether we like it or not


2 posted on 11/08/2004 8:46:29 PM PST by agitator (...And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark)
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To: Ahriman

1. Build a wall
2. Patrol it vigorously
3. Set up a program where businesses could be matched up with workers.
4. Only grant work permits to mexican who know english, have no contagious diseases(STDs too), and have no criminal record anywhere.


3 posted on 11/08/2004 8:47:39 PM PST by bahblahbah
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To: agitator
They're just now finding out about violent gangs from El Salvador that are helping to ferret Islamic terrorists into the U.S.

If anything, this is a time to crack down even harder on illegal immigration!

4 posted on 11/08/2004 8:47:51 PM PST by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: Ahriman

Oh great. Just what we need. More illegals. Oh, you say we're going to call them legals now? Well that's one way to reduce the numbers of illegals.


5 posted on 11/08/2004 8:49:05 PM PST by ladyjane (Reporters report, journalists distort.)
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To: agitator

Mohammad is not accurately reporting Bush's proposal that was made back in January.


6 posted on 11/08/2004 8:49:58 PM PST by bayourod (Specter's litmus test : "No Christian Judges")
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To: who_would_fardels_bear
"violent gangs from El Salvador that are helping to ferret Islamic terrorists into the U.S."

Source?

7 posted on 11/08/2004 8:51:12 PM PST by bayourod (Specter's litmus test : "No Christian Judges")
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To: Ahriman

Fox and his cohorts would never accept a 3 year temporary worker plan --- Fox never intends for these people to return to their homeland to live.

Fox intends to tell Bush and Powell what he demands and he expects them to obey each and every demand he makes. I hope it's a good sign that Bush is sending Powell and not wasting his own time with these clowns.


8 posted on 11/08/2004 8:51:18 PM PST by FITZ
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To: Ahriman
We need legal immigration reform! We make legal far too difficult and illegal far too easy.

My solution:

** MORE LEGAL IMMIGRATION

** ZERO TOLERANCE for ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

9 posted on 11/08/2004 8:51:25 PM PST by JohnnyZ ("Thought I was having trouble with my adding. It's all right now." - Clint Eastwood)
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To: who_would_fardels_bear

Violent gang? Are you referring to the Mexican government???

Check this out:

http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?S=2538123

Mistaken ambush: seven dead

MEXICO CITY Attackers identified as police officers opened fire on revelers returning from a dance in central Mexico -- killing seven people.

Investigators today described the shootings as a a case of mistaken identity.

Notimex reports at least five municipal policemen were among an estimated ten assailants who laid in wait early yesterday.

The Milenio daily newspaper reports the intended victims were marijuana traffickers who allegedly threatened police after they refused to provide them with protection.

But the officers _ two of whom have been arrested _ wrongly opened fire on the innocent partygoers, who were in a convoy of three trucks from Nocupetaro.

Michoacan state Attorney General Angel Arellano Pulido says the assailants appear to have been drinking -- plus darkness may have contributed to the error.


10 posted on 11/08/2004 8:53:39 PM PST by FITZ
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To: Ahriman
"Now that the campaign is behind us and 9/11 is also three years behind us and we have done a lot with respect to securing our borders ... I sense that there could be a more favorable environment."

In other words, now that 48% of voters want a pre-9/11 America, and many more are duped into thinking border security has been improved, we can pass some crappy legislation to avoid any meaningful immigration/border security reform as it's too PC of a subject to touch.

Worker permits without meaningful border security AND immigration reform is MEANINGLESS!!

11 posted on 11/08/2004 8:54:13 PM PST by DTogo (U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
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To: DTogo
If we never show our ability or determination to halt illegal immigration, then as soon as the current wave of illegals is "integrated" into society (however pathetically), the next wave will start flooding our shores.

After all, they won't be able to pay the the guest workers less than minimum wage or force them into unsafe working conditions.

12 posted on 11/08/2004 8:59:39 PM PST by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: Ahriman


Kim Jong-Ill (like Erich Honecker before him) shoots people for trying to escape his damp little hellhole, whereas Vincente Fox (like every Mexican "president" before him) practically ORDERS his own citizens to leave. Two muddy sides of the same warped coin, if you ask me.

To Mexico: because without them who would destroy us from the inside?


13 posted on 11/08/2004 9:03:22 PM PST by RockAgainsttheLeft04 ("America...F**K YEAH !" -Team America: World Police)
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To: who_would_fardels_bear

ANY immigrant should have to go through the process and do it LEGALLy. I have spent many, hours, days and mountains of paperwork for 3 years to make sure that my wife from the Philippines) is perfectly legal and well on her way to becoming a US citizen. Plain and simple illegal immigration is, well, ILLEGAL!!!


14 posted on 11/08/2004 9:04:34 PM PST by RacerX1128
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To: who_would_fardels_bear

Vicente Fox will not settle for anything less than 80% of his citizens being taken in by the American taxpayers. This man is shameless --- what other national leader is so hell-bent on ridding his country of it's people?


15 posted on 11/08/2004 9:04:34 PM PST by FITZ
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To: Ahriman

>we have done a lot with respect to securing our borders <

We have a lot yet to do! That does not include closing your eyes to the thousands that cross every month. Let's deal with one problem at a time. Getting the illegal border crossings under control first seems like a good idea to me...but what do I know?


16 posted on 11/08/2004 9:05:40 PM PST by Proud Conservative2 (We have to be held accountable for our actions.)
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To: FITZ

The leadership in Mexico is mostly of European origin. Maybe this is Cortez's Revenge on Montezuma: if you can't kill off all the Indians, just get them to move up north!


17 posted on 11/08/2004 9:18:15 PM PST by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: who_would_fardels_bear
There could be ways to make the guest worker program work:

- Each worker must "deposit" $2500 cash to obtain permit and enter US, get it back when you leave.

- Workers must register their US address, any changes in employment, and submit to full biometric profile upon entering the US (photo, prints, DNA for computer data base).

- Unemployment = deportation, strictly enforced.

- Sub-felony conviction = forfeit $2500 deposit, immediate deportation, no future worker permit.

- Felony conviction = jail, forfeit $2500 deposit, deportation, no future worker permit.

- Workers and employers must pay all required taxes as with other workers.

18 posted on 11/08/2004 9:22:37 PM PST by DTogo (U.S. out of the U.N. & U.N out of the U.S.)
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To: Ahriman

Sure doesn't take long to get all the open borders stooges in on these threads. I still wonder who they are trying to defend, the president or their nanny.


19 posted on 11/08/2004 9:38:11 PM PST by sixmil (11/2/2004 - And there will be great wailing and gnashing of teeth)
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To: Ahriman
Bush honeymoon with this Freeper ending in 3, 2, 1... Done.

Well at least with Jorge Jr. we'll may get somewhat better court picks during our slide into third world oblivion.

20 posted on 11/08/2004 9:41:05 PM PST by dagnabbit (Don't let Europe happen to America. Stop Islamic immigration.)
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