Bush Breaks First Campaign Pledge By Renewing Call For Illegal Alien Amnesty

FAIR ^ | November 10, 2004 | Dan Stein

[VU4G10]

(Washington, DC—November 10, 2004) It wasn't quite "Read my lips," but in the last presidential debate in Arizona, George W. Bush clearly stated that he would not support amnesty for illegal aliens. One week after being narrowly returned to office, the president has reneged on that pledge. Bush has dispatched Secretary of State Colin Powell to Mexico City to open discussions with the Mexican government about the size and scope of amnesty for illegal immigrants and for a massive new guest worker program.

"President Bush and Karl Rove have seemingly missed the message of their own, and the Republican Party's, success at the polls last week," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). "In spite of a poor record on jobs, further erosion of the middle class, and staggering budget deficits, the people returned the GOP to office because they believed that the Republican Party was more in tune with them on values and respect for the law. One of those gut issues that led voters to ignore the administration's poor record in other areas was the belief that Bush and the Republicans would enforce laws against illegal immigration, not reward illegal immigrants and auction off every job in America to the lowest bidder."

The immigration plan being dusted off in Washington and Mexico City is essentially the same one the administration introduced last January, which proved to be so wildly unpopular among voters that they were forced to shelve it. "Who is the president seeking to reward by reintroducing his amnesty/guest worker proposal?" asked Stein. "Not middle class workers who made it very clear that they are feeling squeezed. Not the millions of families who have lost their health insurance benefits because their employers no longer feel that it is necessary to offer such benefits to attract American workers. Not Hispanic voters, whom polls indicate do not consider this to be high priority and who voted in significant numbers in favor of an Arizona ballot measure that bars illegal aliens from receiving most public benefits.

"The only interest group, besides the estimated 10 to 12 million illegal aliens and their families who could be in line for legal U.S. residency, are cheap labor employers who have come to believe that it is their right to have workers who will work at whatever wages they wish to pay," Stein said.

The latest White House announcement will touch off yet another surge in illegal immigration and further compromise homeland security, predicted FAIR. Last January, when the president first proposed this plan, the U.S. Border Patrol reported a marked increase in the number of people attempting to enter the U.S. illegally in order to benefit from the proposed amnesty. "Aside from betraying the interests of millions of people who voted for him because they believed the president shared their core values, this irresponsible renewal of talk of amnesty will betray those who voted for him because they believed the Republicans were the party that could be entrusted to protect homeland security. You cannot have homeland security and chaos at the border. You cannot have homeland security while granting amnesty to millions of people with only minimal background checks. And you certainly cannot have amnesty and unlimited guest workers, and preserve a solid middle class," asserted Stein.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>President Bush isn't proposing blanket amnesty.

Last year Bush made a speech in which he sent up a trial balloon that was meant to see what support there was for a guest workers program, which at its core, was a blanket amnesty for most illegals. It was met by the public with a majority of disapproval and was never heard from again. You aren't gonna get Americans to back new immigration policy, that is for all intents and purposes a blanket amnesty program, just because the author is POTUS.

[Joe Hadenuf]

The lawbreakers (the border intruders and their employers) will not be penalized under criminal codes as they would/should if this plan is not enacted. That is a form of amnesty. Nor will they have to travel back to their country of origin to apply as all of the LEGAL immigrants stand in line to do. That is a reward. This plan is a form of amnesty that rewards lawbreakers.

Exactly, it's nothing but slow motion amnesty, that will do nothing but attract millions more.

[Spiff]

How many real "amnesties" involve paying a fine (answer: none)?

The ones that don't punish the lawbreakers under the laws that they broke. A simple, measly one-time fee to be paid by the lawbreaking employer is not the penalty for being a lawbreaking illegal alien or for being a lawbreaking employer of an illegal alien. It is hardly a penalty, it is more like an administrative fee or a bribe.

[Howlin]

The lawbreakers (the border intruders and their employers) will not be penalized under criminal codes as they would/should if this plan is not enacted.

Flaw in your plot: if there is never any plan enacted, those people will just stay here, period. There will never be any wholesale rounding up and deporting; never. You all need to forget that.

Nor will they have to travel back to their country of origin to apply as all of the LEGAL immigrants stand in line to do

Wrong; temporary workers would be expected to return to their home countries at the end of their authorized period of stay

[Southack]

"As long as you get illegals legitimized, is all you are really interested in. To heck with what a vast majority of people want."

As if President Bush understands what most people want less well than you...aren't you the real MENSA type?!

You've really got two options, I'll tell you what they are but you probably aren't ideologically capable of accepting either. After I tell you the *only* two options available you'll no doubt plead for a 3rd option of "enforcing existing laws" (yeah, that's worked really well so far).

Option 1. Leave all illegals unregistered and anonymous.

Option 2: Offer enough of an incentive to convince illegals to voluntarily register themselves with the federal government.

Oh, by the way, if the gun banners ever seize power because of the efforts by people like you to knock down our pro-gun politicians with friendly fire, those gun banners will *first* find ways to register all gun owners.

It's easier to ban things and people after they have registered than when they are anonymous, after all...something that the gun banners understand far better than the immigration dilettantes.

[itsahoot]

In the meantime American business needs to stop employing illegal aliens.

You mean as in obey the law? I am sure the New Attorney General will get right on this issue.

[Jimmur74]

This is Trash. Trash Trash A pack of Lies

[fetts]

The guest workers are not slaves. There may be many problems to overcome regarding the program, but I don't see it as evil.

[Dat Mon]

"Rush Limbaugh says we don't know how to act like winners. I sadly agree."

We dodged a bullet in not electing a soiopath traitor in Kerry.

We gained seats and received a mandate from the American people to DO something.

Yes we won, and I drank...heavily! Now its time to get a plan, and go to the next phase.

Lets have a debate, get a plan, and move on it. Threads like this one are all part of the process. Immigration issues need to be discussed and debated, and a rational plan developed that we can agree on.

But there are lots of othere issues too. Ive posted my vision for a legislative agenda on other threads, lets all of us do the same.

[Spiff]

Exactly, it's nothing but slow motion amnesty, that will do nothing but attract millions more.

And every time Bush or his administration opens their mouth and starts talking amnesty my neighborhood gets flooded with border intruders who are breaking and entering the country. And they're saying that "President Booosh" says they'll get "amnesty". Ask them about it, not me. They know when the green light is on, when they need to hurry to slip under the wire to be able to stay here permanently.

[Howlin]

As long as you get illegals legitimized, is all you are really interested in.

Stupid reply.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Wrong; temporary workers would be expected to return to their home countries at the end of their authorized period of stay

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Howlin, you never fail to get the room laughing hysterically.

[WRhine]

Total insanity.

Joe, none of this should surprise anyone closely observing this administration in the past 4 years. It was all so predictable. Now we have the specter of a free ranging Open Borders RINO "with an attitude" on the loose; no longer constrained by another election, and so many are dumbfounded that Bush would make good on his “unlimited” Amnesty for Illegal Aliens plan.

What were they expecting in his second term? LOL. I thought Bush was quite clear about his Open Borders Agenda and Big Government Compassionate Conservatism. Next will be his announcement of the FTAA. Gonna be another 4 long years...and we won't recognize America when he is done.

[expatpat]

Once again: IT IS NOT AMNESTY. They will receive temporary guest=worker status, no citizenship, and no voting rights.

[Howlin]

We don't all hate brown people, Joe.

And as long as it's YOU laughing, I'm comfortable with the people on my side.

[raybbr]

Wrong; temporary workers would be expected to return to their home countries at the end of their authorized period of stay.

Flaw in your plot. If people like you accept the usurpation of law now, why should we expect you to uphold it in the future?

[af_vet_1981]

This whole article is based on a lie.

That is the standard procedure.

[Joe Hadenuf]

It was all so predictable.

You bet it was.

[raybbr]

BUSH: I see it as a serious problem. I see it as a security issue, I see it as an economic issue, and I see it as a human-rights issue. (From the third debate in answer to a question about illegal immigration)

Notice how he throws the "human rights" part in there? It will be used to justify the amnesty he isn't talking about.

He doesn't have to use the word amnesty. He just has to say he is supporting human rights - ala Jimmy Carter.