Posted on 08/27/2005 10:55:25 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
By RON FOURNIER
Associated Press
PHOENIX - Struggling to pacify his party's warring wings, President Bush is moving toward allowing illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. before February 2004 to qualify for guest-worker visas. People smuggled in after then would be deported.
State leaders in Arizona and New Mexico have stepped up pressure on the Bush administration and the Republican-led Congress to better police U.S. borders and deal with an estimated 10 million people who are living in the country illegally.
"They're trying to split the baby," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in reference to the White House plan, "and I don't think they can do that."
Bush and his advisers are caught between their supporters in the business sector, who think the economy needs the workers, and conservatives whose priority is to clamp down on illegal immigration. The White House hopes to send a detailed proposal to Congress in late September or early October.
McCain, who ran against Bush for the 2000 GOP nomination and may seek the White House in 2008, is sponsoring a bill with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., that would create 400,000 three-year visas for guest workers.
The legislation has the flexibility to add more in the future and would let undocumented workers stay in the U.S. while they apply.
A competing plan by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would create two-year visas and require people to leave the U.S. before they can apply for the chance to work legally in the country.
Conservative House Republicans tend to favor Kyl's tougher approach. McCain mocks it.
"Turn yourself in so we can send you back to Mexico," said McCain, throwing his head back in laughter during an interview at his Arizona office last week. "It's not going to happen."
The White House seems to agree with McCain.
According to administration and congressional officials who took part in a series of White House meetings this summer, Bush does not favor requiring illegal immigrants to be sent home to apply for the visas.
In a nod to his conservative base, however, the president has rejected a part of the McCain-Kennedy bill that the White House thinks would put illegal immigrants on an automatic track to citizenship, the officials said.
US/Mexico Border fence
Build a wall/fence that secures our borders first. Without that, current immigration law and proposed reforms won't work.
"Bottom line - Bush and McCain are both immigration leftists, are both for amnesty and both for the eventual merge of the USA with Mexico."
Everyone needs to realize that once these immigrants are here, illegally or part of a guest worker program, they are NOT going home. They can obtain false documentation that even the FBI has a hard time deciphering its authenticiy. If a mexican is here on a guest worker program for a year, what is to stop him from taking off 50 weeks into the year and disappearing only to resurface under a new name with false identification?
Do not accept a guest worker program. Vote Tancredo or the constitution party before it is to late.
Enforce laws against hiring illegal. Soon the invasion will stop, and slowly by attraction the illegal population will be reduced.
Damm and I just wanted to lurk. LOL
Wait a minute! Are you here to discuss politics or to promote your love to the leader? Why should it matter so much whether someone loves or hates GWB or does not care about him?
Does this mean that we will be paid SS in Pesos?
OK, I am for America and I do not care very much for Bush. I do not hate him and I do not love him.
If you are all of the above, then, go to hell!!!
So should I "go to hell"?
In your dreams..........I was born and raised in a Yellow Dog Democrat county, and I can tell you there is no difference in them and the blind obedient following of the RINO's that populates this board.
The agricultural plantations of the 1800 needed slaves to maintain their economy.
Should we bring back slavery? OH never mind we have, only they are now called bacerros(sp) or guest workers.
Good idea we should expand slavery into all business sectors.
While we are at it maybe we should only count the population of the boarder states as 2/3(not sure if correct fraction).
How could I have been so wrong in my thinking thank you GWB for the enlightenment.
About four years ago in So Cal, a sheriffs deputy was shot and killed by a Mexican citizen (think illegal not sure) who was once deported. After the killing this person escaped into Mexico. The government of Mexico is refusing to extradite him because he will be subjected to the death penalty or life imprisonment. The Mexican government thinks that 8 years is the max that should be given.
Doesnt seem to me that Mexico cares who lives in their country to me.
BTW, after repeated attempts by the wife of the late deputy, GWB has refused to help.
Trolls should be ID'd and booted!!!
Smartass, Where do I begin? OK, so I'll stick my foot in in the wrong place again --IMHO GWB IS THE WORSE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR BEAUTIFUL AMERICA IN OUR HISTORY.
He has managed to allow II's to take over a majority part of our education system in many states, allowed II's a 30%+ stake on our prison system, the majority of public funding for uninsured medical claims is going toward II's, millions are streaming across our southern border yearly and no one knows how many are terrorists. I voted for GWB twice as TX gov, and twice as Pres, but based upon his actions/lack of action while in office, I do not believe his is intelligent enough to clean my cats liter box. The real sad part about this whole fiasco is how many of our elected officials are turning a blind eye to our problems with II just as GWB. FOLLOW THE MONEY
Why???
If I stole a candy bar (not a felony) from the store because I was a diabetic. I now have been crime free for X years do I now have claim to that candy bar? Is that candy bar owed to me am I entitled ?
In the interim, our nation is literally being colonized by a foreign nation.
Actions (and inactions) speak much louder than words folks . .
"This is your immigration control program Mr. President." Politicians--Democrat and Republican alike---who fail to heed the anger of the people concerning this issue will soon find themselves "former elected" officials!
Simple Illegal Alien Invasion solution 101:
ENFORCE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW BY REWARDING CITIZENS WHO TURN IN ILLEGAL ALIEN EMPLOYERS WITH MONETARY REWARDS
* * *
THE BIGGER THE VIOLATION - THE BIGGER THE REWARD
* * *
PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM WITH FINES COLLECTED FROM LAW-BREAKING EMPLOYERS
Bush wants a guest worker program and a border secured against terrorists. Any thing else will be window dressing and will be actively worked against after it is enacted.
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.