Posted on 12/29/2004 6:21:51 AM PST by Ginifer
(CNSNews.com) - President Bush is moving forward with his plans to create a "Temporary Worker Program" that would allow millions of illegal aliens to remain and work in the U.S. for a minimum of three years with no fear of deportation or other punishment. Advocates of tougher immigration policies believe the president is ignoring the costs and potential dangers posed by illegal immigration.
In his final, scheduled, formal press conference of the year, the president criticized current U.S. immigration policy.
"The system we have today is not a compassionate system. It's not working," Bush said Dec. 20. "And, as a result, the country is less secure than it could be with a rational system."
Any proposed changes to immigration policy must take into account what the president calls "reality.""
\ldblquote There are some jobs in America that Americans won't do and others are willing to do," Bush said. "We ought to have a system that recognizes people are coming here to do jobs that Americans will not do. And there ought to be a legal way for them to do so."
According to a White House fact sheet entitled, "Fair and Secure Immigration Reform," the president's "Temporary Worker Program" would allow new immigrants to the U.S. and those currently here illegally to accept employment "when no American worker is available and willing to take a job.""
Ira Mehlman, media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, told the Cybercast News Service that Bush's proposal is, "a great plan if your objective is to destroy the middle class in the United States.
"If you are going to offer employers the opportunity to bring in unlimited numbers of guest workers then there is never going to be any incentive to increase wages in this country [or] to improve working conditions," Mehlman said. "Upward mobility will become a thing of the past if such a plan is enacted."
Bush says program would not provide 'automatic citizenship'
The program would last three years, but would be renewable. Bush insists he is not proposing amnesty, or an easier road to citizenship, for illegal aliens.
"Now, one of the important aspects of my vision is that this is not automatic citizenship. The American people must understand that," the president stressed. "If somebody who is here working wants to be a citizen, they can get in line like those who have been here legally and have been working to become a citizen in a legal manner."
Mehlman disagreed.
"Even he would have to recognize that a program that allows millions of people, who have broken the law, to gain legal status in this country is an amnesty," Mehlman insisted. "Even though he swears it's not an amnesty program, that's exactly what it is; it is rewarding people who have broken the law.""
Supporters of tougher immigration laws also doubt, according to Mehlman, that there will be anything temporary about the "Temporary Worker Program."
"He's talking about a three-year temporary worker visa, renewable for three more," Mehlman observed. "And at the end of the six years, these people will, of course, all say, 'Thank you very much. We really appreciate the opportunity to work here and now we're going home.' Yeah, right."
The Bush proposal also includes provisions to allow participants to cross back and forth from their country of origin to maintain family ties. President Bush said U.S. Border Patrol agents need to focus on more important duties.
"[W]e want our border patrol agents chasing crooks and thieves and drug runners and terrorists, not good-hearted people who are coming here to work," Bush argued.
'Preposterous' plan fails to address security concerns
Mehlman complained that recommendations by the 9/11 Commission to tighten immigration policy were removed from the legislation passed by Congress due to pressure from those lobbying to protect illegal aliens.
"Special interest politics and greed seem to even trump homeland security," Mehlman concluded, "despite the fact that we've seen what the potential consequences are from not enforcing immigration laws."
Mehlman believes security must be the primary concern in immigration policy and that it is lacking in the proposal to allow for millions of "temporary workers."
"The idea that they are going to do thorough, comprehensive background checks on all these people to make sure that we're not letting in criminals or potential terrorists is preposterous," Mehlman said. "They couldn't even do a decent background check on their own nominee for Homeland Security secretary."
Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerrick withdrew his nomination for that post after allegations surfaced that he had ties to companies that have business dealings with the Department of Homeland Security and that he had employed an illegal immigrant as a nanny and did not pay his portion of her payroll taxes.
The president also argued that his plan would "take the pressure off of employers." Mehlman believes that is a mistake, as well.
"What we have to do is create disincentives against illegal immigration," Mehlman said. "Right now, we're creating incentives. We don't enforce the laws against employers."
Mehlman acknowledged that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents cannot arrest every illegal alien or catch every employer who knowingly hires them. He believes effective immigration law enforcement means applying "leverage" to selected companies.
"You go after some of the employers that have been hiring illegal immigrants with impunity, even though it's against the law. You fine them sufficiently to send a message, the same way that the highway patrol enforces the speed limit on the freeway when they want to," Mehlman said. "They don't stop every single speeder. But, if you're driving along at 80 miles an hour and you see somebody else being pulled over, you slow down."
Such an enforcement strategy would have a ripple effect, according to Mehlman.
"If you go after enough employers to give the rest of them the idea that we're serious about enforcing the law, they will then refrain from hiring illegal immigrants," Mehlman said. "The word gets back, 'Don't come to the United States illegally because nobody's going to take a chance on hiring you.'"
Mehlman believes such a policy would have a similar effect on illegal aliens currently living and working in the U.S.
"Many who are already here [illegally] would leave and go home," Mehlman continued. "The objective is to encourage more people who are here illegally to go home. If you cannot get access to a job, if you can't get access to anything but emergency social benefits, there's no incentive to remain here."
FAIR disputes economic argument for illegal immigration
Mehlman also dismissed the common argument that reducing the available pool of illegal immigrant labor would drive up food prices.
"The labor cost in agriculture is about 10 percent. So, a dollar's worth of produce today would cost you about $1.10 tomorrow if they doubled everybody's wages," Mehlman said.
What little savings consumers reap from lower labor costs are multiplied in other areas, Mehlman argued.
"Maybe you do save a few pennies here and there because there are low-wage illegal immigrant workers doing jobs in this country that Americans would demand a higher wage for," Mehlman explained, "but in return you are providing education for the children of these illegal immigrants, you're providing the health care because these employers are not providing a Blue Cross/Blue Shield (health insurance) program for them. All sorts of social costs are being added on."
But President Bush described his proposal as a more \ldblquote compassionate way to treat people who come to our country." Mehlman wondered about the president's compassion for unemployed and underemployed U.S. citizens.
"What we're wrestling with here is the impact that it has on this country, the impact that it has on people struggling to make a living and make a decent life for themselves and their families, the impact on schools and social services," Mehlman said. "The president didn't tell us who's going to pay to educate all the kids of these 'guest workers' he wants to bring here. Who's going to pay for all the health care needs that they're going to have when they get here?"
Blacks + Latinos + Public Sector Unions = 'Rats in power. Latinos are devout, hard-working, and family-oriented. They should be Republican and Conservative. Workers - YES! Welfare Collectors - NO! Get the illegal workers out into the open, collect taxes from them just like we do others, and kick the freeloaders out!
With unskilled Hispanic labor hitting us from the low end and skilled labor from India, Packistan, etc. hitting us on the high end how are we supposed to survive. Both groups of people will work for less than we will so there you have it. It's not just the middle class that is taking a hit - it's all of us.
Have to run but wanted to say that is the most concise sitrep of the current state of immigration I have read. Very good.
Quote: There were 4 roofing jobs in my outer suburb cul-de-sac. 3 of the 4 had hispanic crews who didn't speak english. These are not jobs that nobody wants. A total lie is being foisted on the middle class.
You are incorrect. What is happening is the hispanics are lowballing the jobs and there fore getting the jobs. My brother jusy built a house in Michigan and the "white" bricklayers are charging I'll say $1.00 per brick but he hispanics are coming in and doing it for 70 cents. You might say that is good but they are getting in all trades now and doing the same thing. The job you currently have may be run out of business because hispanics may do the job for less in the future or you may have a cut in your wages to compete.
Yes, these lower wages may help our economy in the short term but I'm worried about the long term.
"Now the going wage is $8.00/hr."
That's a lie!
They get $20/hr plus but it's in cash with no deductions.
The employers are just as illegal as the workers!
Agreed.
I have no problem with the CLEAR Act's basic concept, really - any time an illegal immigrant is arrested, they ought to inform the federal government. Ditto for the welfare fraud cases.
But honor students, maids, nannies, janitors, and even folks serving in the armed forces (one of the first Marines KIA in the liberation of Iraq was an illegal immigrant) - hey, I'll take those folks over a Michael Moore, a Barbara Streisand, or a Natalie Maines any time.
It might be compassionate - think about the conditions in Mexican jails.
Teenagers have never done the hard dirty manual labor that adult immigrant males and blacks have done.
Emma Lazarus' poem is decoration on a statue, not code in the US Constitution.
Idiotic "Amnesty plan" BUMP
12 days! That's great. Welcome back soon.
Teenagers have never done the hard dirty manual labor that adult immigrant males and blacks have done.
That must have been a figment of my imagination when I worked in a property manager's office and the landscape crew where young guys on school break.
Don't get hysterical on me. I have not (and never will) suggest that we gut our economy. I am also not a tree hugger, though quality of life issues are important to me.
There needs to be a middle ground. I have no problem with Businesses wanting to maximize their profits (as it should be), but they often look at the short term bottom line at the expense of the long term. There needs to be an honest assesement of the cost/benefit of illegal immigration. Whenever I hear business leaders speak on the issue, they ignore the social costs--which we all end up paying for. So in that respect, the taxpayer subsidizes business labor costs (wait--isn't that Socialism?). Making the issue appear to be a choice between illegal immigration and economic collapse is a false choice (and you know it).
Some types of jobs will inevitably go overseas. I just don't want to see this country turned into a cesspool to keep the lowest common denominator jobs. I am also willing to pay a little bit more for certain things if it means hiring an American vs. hiring an illegal at rock bottom wages. Maybe if lunch at Old Country Buffet (or whatever) costs $7.99 instead of $5.99, we'll have fewer lard asses in this country anyway.
Immigrants from 100 years ago or so often didn't learn English so well. Many remained in their neighborhoods and kept old country customs. Cleveland was a good example.
The KIDS, however, always want to learn English. It's easier for a kid than an adult. Immigrant parents can't keep their kids in the old country here in America.
I was in a hospital in Miami with my native Venezuelan stepmom visiting my Dad who was ill. A Latina nurse came in and was speaking Spanish to my stepmom. When she realized I couldn't speak Spanish she got on me for being yet another Latino kid that won't learn the old country language! It was funny, but it illustrates just how powerful our melting pot is.
So are the new ones. Just because people remember their heritage doesn't mean they aren't assimilating sufficiently.
Immigrants from Mexico shop at American department stores, eat American fast foods, wear American clothes, observe American customs, enlist in the American military and soon aspire to the same life style as previous immigrants. They're learning the language just as fast as prior immigrant groups (faster than cajuns and Germans).
Can you cite some examples of failures to assimilate that really hurt you? It doesn't hurt you a bit for the Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's day, or for the Italians to celebrate Columbus day, or the Chinese to celebrate their new year, or the Jews to celebrate Passover, or the Mexicans to celebrate Cinco De Mayo.
It doesn't hurt you for new immigrants to have their own churches, own marriage rites, own family bonds, own art or own music. Just like all previous immigrants did.
Unless the Bush amnesty plan includes provisions barring all anchor babies citizenship born to "guest workers", he is grossly misunderestimating his program's errors.
I don't believe I've ever seen any one person so entrenched on an asinine, crossgrained proposal as he is this one.
Some even join the Marines.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.