Posted on 11/09/2004 9:59:51 PM PST by ETERNAL WARMING
Powell: Bush Wants Legal Status for Millions of Illegal Aliens NewsMax.com Wires Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004 MEXICO CITY – Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday that President Bush would place a high priority in his second term on granting legal status to millions of migrants who live illegally in the United States.
Powell spoke at the inaugural session of the U.S.-Mexican Bi-National Commission, which annually brings together top officials from both sides to discuss a range of cross-border issues. Powell was joined here by five other members of Bush's Cabinet.
"The president is committed to comprehensive immigration reform as a high priority in his second term, and he will work closely with our Congress to achieve this goal," Powell said, with delegations from both sides in attendance at a Foreign Ministry auditorium. In separate remarks, Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez made no specific reference to the migration issue but praised the "high level of confidence and understanding between the two countries."
Mexico is the primary source of the 10 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. Persuading the United States to push ahead with migration reform is a major goal of President Vicente Fox's administration.
Last January, in an apparent bid for the votes of Hispanics and segments of the U.S. business community, Bush unveiled an ambitious immigration reform proposal whose key feature would provide temporary legal status to illegal migrants provided they are employed.
In the 10 months since Bush spelled out the proposal, it has failed to make any headway.
Powell told reporters Monday night while flying here that with the end of the election season in the United States and with substantial progress in shoring up security along the border, "there could be a more favorable environment" for immigration reform legislation.
He acknowledged, however, that it is not yet clear how the new Congress taking office in January will deal with the issue. Many in Congress oppose granting legal status to undocumented migrants because, they say, that would reward people who broke the law when they crossed the border.
Fox said the time is ripe for a migration accord. "We have done all the analysis, diagnostics and problem solving possible," Fox said in a radio interview Monday. "There's no reason to lose much time."
Earlier, Derbez praised the Bush administration's support for Mexico's efforts to promote consular identification cards that help Mexicans living abroad open bank accounts or apply for a driver's license in some parts of the United States.
Mexico believes immigration reform is sorely needed because of the precarious situation that many undocumented Mexicans in the United States face despite their significant contributions to the U.S. economy. Last week, Mexican Interior Secretary Santiago Creel called U.S. migration policy "absurd."
Bush and Fox first broached the subject of immigration reform less than a month after Bush took office in 2001. Fox said last week he believed that 2005 might finally be the year when significant progress might be possible.
Now That the Election Is out of the Way ...
"Neither of our countries will be in elections next year," Fox observed. But Creel warned against "raising expectations beyond what is politically viable and really possible."
Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, migration reform has taken a back seat to enhancing security along the border. U.S. officials say Mexican cooperation has been exemplary in addressing U.S. concerns about terrorists using the border as a transit point for attacks on U.S. soil.
On hemispheric relations, Powell acknowledged Monday night there had been a shift to the left in several South American countries but said he was "not deeply troubled by it at all. I want to work with whoever the people elect in those countries."
He said it wasn't shocking that people in the region were beginning to make different choices when they go to the polls if they hadn't seen the kind of progress they were expecting.
As an example of the leftist trend, he cited the election two years ago of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but he said Silva "has been acting quite responsibly with respect to economic and fiscal policy."
Powell reserved judgment on the implications of the election last week of a leftist coalition in Uruguay.
Be prepared in January to HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE like they should have been during the election. That compromise will allow Bush to do what he has desperately wanted to do since the beginning....open our borders to the hordes of cheap labor at our expense.
No.
All of them need to know that the majority of America is strongly against rewarding border hoppers, and that we're sick of paying for it, and that their jobs will be in jeopardy if they agree to any further pandering to Mexico.
I agree -- we get through Specter and attack Illegal immigration next (IMO of Priorities) -- also need to look at outsourcing, too... Lou Dobbs today had a report that the India - Indians are ectastic that Bush won they are seeing dollar signs as a result of a swinging door coming their direction in even more outsourcing...
Mr. President: This will NOT play in Peoria !!! But more importantly, it won't play in the Red States !!!
"Now That the Election Is out of the Way ... "
Now that the Election is out of the way, how about concentrating on what we WANT...the JUDICIARY! Instead, Illegal Immigrants are once again the big winners, along with the Mexican economy.
Well at least I can sleep at night...I "wrote-in" Peroutka in Texas.
And NOW it is time to raise he!! with the RINO sentators, reps and POTUS and never let them hear the end of our letters, faxes and calls.
I live in Arizona. I voted for Prop 200 to require people to supply ID in order to vote and receive public services. I want to reduce illegal immigration.
However, from a security standpoint. This move makes lots of sense. We currently have hundreds of thousands of undocumented aliens. President Bush is suggesting that they become documented. That will divide the aliens into two groups: (1) those who choose to document themselves and (2) those who do not document themselves.
In both categories will be people who are up to no good; i.e. potential terrorists.
First, there will be potential terrorists who are documented, therefore we will know more about them than we know now. This could be very valuable information.
Second, will be potential terrorists who have chosen not to register. These people will be easier to find. Once found, the can be treated differently than we currently handle illegals; i.e., deportation.
"However, from a security standpoint. This move makes lots of sense. We currently have hundreds of thousands of undocumented aliens"
We currently have 10s of millions ILLEGAL aliens. There will be many more once the word gets out they are free to travel. But I agree with you somwhat as it is only fair to the rest of us that they pay taxes like everyone else (curently less than 30% pay income tax),
Another solution would be to document the ILLEGAL employers who are hiring and fine them to pick up the fees directly that the legal citizens are incurring in exchange. If the employers were forced to pay their real costs of doing business many would be forced out of business and the attraction for the migrant work would be less. This is how capitalism is supposed to work, as opposed to a socialist state subsiding the employers which is the plan now, coming from this "republican" president !
In addition the feds will know where to look should there be suspected terrorists and who to blame, if they have a record of who is hiring illegels, even though they can tell now by the social security fraud data, but these are not being passed to homeland security, as they should be...
The thing is, this won't play in the Blue States either. I don't know who is supporting this plan.
You are wrong. This would actually help close the borders if they do it right.
THat takes care of one problem, yes. What about the taxes? My costs have risen by $250 per month to pay for a 40% increase in the illegal population in Vegas. We have to build 12 new schools. 12% of my real estate taxes now goes for "indigent healthcare." It's right on my huge real estate tax bill...spelled right out. It was the only way we could keep the hospitals and doctors here. I'm forced to pay for their healthcare and I can no longer afford my own. Our human services are decimated. Crime is soaring. We have a small population in Nevada. We've had to endure an $830,000,000 tax increase in 1 year. It isn't just about the invasion or border security...it's about the tyranny being imposed on us taxpayers to subsidize some lawbreaker's cheap labor. It's hideous. You must be fortunate enough that your area is not yet decimated by this scourge.
NO NO AND NO. Not if millions of Americans have anything to say about it, it will NOT happen. Over our dead bodies.
How about all those accessing the process from around the world who have waited years to come here?
Why does proximity to our southern border allow a cut in line?
No amnesty.
Bush, Fox, and Powell are all full of $hit, why are they ignoring La Raza, know what it means? The Race, they are an organization that espouses Latino superiority and dominance over the southwestern United States, they have already said that one day that area of the Country will be under Mexican rule, they will take it over, not by force, but by sheer numbers, and Bush knows this, every time he goes South to meet Fox, he comes back with another assinine proposal. So my south western amigo's, better learn Espanol. Like Salsa?
Yea, keep smokin what you are smoking and dreaming. I can see terrorist standing in line to register, they will be standing in line with bombs strapped to themselves to kill anyone within range. Also the figures [Govt.] for all the illegals here is costing 20 Billion a year in health care, schools, and other programs, not to mention 20% of all the sneakins, are felons and many of them are incarcerated in our prisons adding another burden to taxpayers. Don't believe it ask the border patrol agents, or Cong. Tom Tancredo from Colo, who brought the problem up to the WH, and was rebuked for it, by Rove and Bush's staff. Look up La Raza, also.
No? Oh yes it will, and it is happening right now and no one will touch this with a 20 foot pole, the only one to bring it up to the WH, is Cong. Tom Tancredo and you can see my postings at #17,and #18. Terrorism is #1,and illegals are #2.
Over our dead bodies? where do you want me to play taps/
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