Chertoff: Not 'practical'to deport illegal aliens

WND ^ | November 15, 2005 | Staff

[Nachum]

Homeland security chief defends Bush plan, says border eventually will be impenetrable

In defending President Bush's so-called "guest worker" program for illegal aliens – which critics have dubbed an amnesty program – Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says it's just not practical to deport the millions of foreigners in the country illegally.

"The cost of identifying all of those people and sending them back would be stupendous. It would be billions and billions of dollars," Chertoff told Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel program "Hannity & Colmes" last night.

"One of the reasons I think that we've been focusing on the idea of a temporary worker program as part of a larger strategy for border security is because it would be a way to siphon off people who really want to do nothing more than work here, put them into a regulated program – we would know who they are – we would then be able to send them back at the end of a period of three years or six years. They would have made some money, they could take it back home, and then we could focus our other resources on the people that don't want to do it the right way, and we could get those people sent out."

Hannity challenged Chertoff, saying such a plan rewards those who "didn't respect our laws and sovereignty."

Asked the talk-show host: "Why don't we say, no, you're here illegally, you didn't respect our laws, you ought to go home?"

Chertoff again appealed to the issue of cost, saying, " Sean, you know, it's really an issue of practicality. I mean, as a practical matter, we've got to identify these people and pull them out of the shadows."

The Homeland Security chief emphasized that Bush's plan "is not an amnesty."

Said Chertoff: "The president's proposal is not a path to citizenship. It's clearly temporary, and it clearly envisions people who would have to commit to go back. … What this would let us do is acknowledge the reality that we've got hundreds and thousands of employers all over this country who are employing illegal aliens. Sometimes, individual citizens employing people in their home."

When Hannity suggested quadrupling the number of Border Patrol agents to help deal with the flood of illegals coming across the southern border, Chertoff pointed to training constraints.

"Right now, our capacity for training really is fully stretched," the official said. "Because it is obviously not an easy job, to train a Border Patrol agent. It's very dangerous work on the border."

Chertoff emphasized that since 9-11, the number of Border Patrol personnel has increased by 3,000.

The homeland security chief said he believes there will be a point in the future – using new technology and infrastructure, and more agents – when the border will be impenetrable.

"I think we have a day coming," he told Hannity. "I can't give you

[DoughtyOne]

There needs to be a sweeping multi-pronged approach to this for sure. I'm all for cutting the employer component, and I'm not immune to doing it first. End the enticements.

Part of your comments touch on things that make me furious to think about. These people should not be getting a dimes worth of support from our government.

We should not be sending SS payment across to the border, or even to the border for pickup, which is something we have done at certain points.

End the banking relationships. End the ability to send funds to Mexico if you're an illegal.

There are so many things that could be done, and so little that actually is being done.

[jordan8]

If it's not practical now, will it ever be practical? They are promoting amnesty with the promise that they will vigorously enforce immigration laws in the future, including those against "guest workers", but if these guest workers go illegal will it suddenly be practical to hunt THEM down?

[rodguy911]

Who picked this bozo chertoff and why?

[BlackbirdSST]

This useless POS needs to update his Resume and move the hell on. Blackbird.

[Prime Choice]

In defending President Bush's so-called "guest worker" program for illegal aliens – which critics have dubbed an amnesty program – Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says it's just not practical to deport the millions of foreigners in the country illegally.

No surprise here. They say they'll get tough on illegals after doing nothing but encouraging illegals to break the law.

I'm sure I'll get bashed for being an "extremist conservative" for not appreciating this latest bout of selling our nation out.

[Prime Choice]

Don't worry, gang! It'll be SO much better after we slam through another amnesty for illegals! Then we'll really be tough on 'em!!

No...really! C'mon! Why don't you believe me?!?

[BnBlFlag]

"Lying piece of...." Exactly my sentiments. The Pubbies are commiting suicide, live and in color.

[Prime Choice]

Be sure to remember this when the RNC comes begging for money! Just send 'em this:

[msf92497]

The Republican party once again thumbs its nose at the Conservative base. Don't expect a big turn out for '06 and '08 elections, guys. Unless the left is running some freakish nazi, I'm not voting. And, stop asking me for g_damn contributions. The return on my investment so far hasn't been $hit.

[rodguy911]

One of the biggest problems we have with illegal immigration is that lots of laws need to be changed on the books.
The very fact that we are paying through the nose to support, feed, shelter give medical and educational aid to illegals instead of billing Mexico,the individual and or their families the bills is the root of the problem. We need to change a bunch of laws. We need to bill them for services received in our country and if they don't pay throw their asses in jail.
If you or I use these same services they will mtge. our homes if we don't pay, same needs to be done to the illegals.
We also need to use military bases, ranches and what ever necessary as huge jails so we can kill off another excuse for not jailing illegals. And we need to charge the illegals for the cost of their jailing. Once they are in jail it will be amazing how fast they come up with the money to get out.
The entire illegal immigration problem is rooted on "their" need for "our" money.they have no right to put their hands in your pocket. We need to rectify the situation using the same idea. Make it too costly for them to come here and they won't come. Or if they do they will pay their own way just like you and I do. Fair is fair.

[DTogo]

FreeRepublic beats WND to the press:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1522382/posts

[rodguy911]

Great plan, one step more would require the illegals to pay for any services they use while here illegally.

[Reagan Man]

I support the President and his efforts in the WOT, but one major component that is lacking in that fight against terrorism, is to secure the US borders. Bush has been in the WH for 4yrs-10mths and in that time he's made no effort whatsoever to secure our borders. That leads me to two conclusions. One, Bush supports open borders and the cheap labor it supplies to businesses. Two, Bush`s lack of a serious immigration policy can also be directly attributed to his pandering, in the name of the GOP, for the Hispanic vote in 2006 and 2008.

Reagan signed the IRCA of 1986 into law. If the IRCA of 1986 ahd been enforced, employers would have been prosecuted and punished for breaking the law. And the one time amnesty deal offered under the IRCA of 1986, would have been just that. A one time only amnesty. Instead the feds chose to ignore the IRCA of 1986 which led to the liberal immigration policies of the Clinton years.

The fact that we've had no terrorist attacks tied to our liberal immigration policies has been nothing less then a miracle. Bush is playing with fire. The longer he waits to properly address the immigration issue, the bigger the overall problems will mount.

[rodguy911]

You've nailed it, with the Hispanic vote being 80% of your statement. Neither excuse is valid for allowing some 40,000 "persons of interest" from the mid-east across the Mexicon borders.
We need a fence/wall and make it as exspensive as possible for illegals to come across.

[Nuc1]

Simple solution. Caught working without a guest worker card you will never get one and be deported. No court recourse. Citizen employer goes to jail say for 10 years without parole. No mercy, no exceptions. Anyone caught crossing the border except at designated locations will be shot on sight. No exceptions. I bet this approach would restore our border in short order. And it doesn't seem a very difficult or costly solution to me. BTW any foreign national using our medical facilities who won't or can't pay their bill, will have their bills covered by the government of their country of origin. Don't even try and tell me we cannot make this stick. We only lack the will.

[Halgr]

Chertoff has just handed the Whitehouse to the Dems in 08

Hello?

[rodguy911]

This is exactly what most other countries do but as you say we don't have the "will" and we have too many bleeding heart,broke liberals who are all to eager to spend someone else's hard earned.

[DoughtyOne]

I totally agree, and the last thing I want to have is this issue to beat Bush on the head over. Just get it fixed!

Did you see that article on the forum that announced the Bush administration was going to up it's Saudi Arabian education passports to 10,000 or by 10,000? Think about that. The Wasabbi (sp?) sect is the worst, and Saudi Arabia is full of them.

I won't post what I really think of that. It's very inflamitory, but it's absolutely on target.

At times this goes beyond the normal differences people have. Our gravest enemies couldn't devise policies worse than this.

People make a big deal of Reagon granting amnesty. He was told 1 million not 3.5. He was told that was it, no more. Then what he signed was NEVER implemented. He was sold out, when we were.

I've seen the theory raised that Reagan set back globalism by eight years. I think there's a lot of truth in that.

Ronald Reagan would never sell this nation out. He loved it with every fiber in his body. I simply cannot say the same for too many in public life these days.

[Nuc1]

True. This issue really fires me up. I simply don't have the words to express how irritated the "border issue" makes me.

[La Enchiladita]

The problem with the strategy is that hispanics have not significantly moved into the Republican column. So, in spite of Dubya speaking in Spanish, forget that.

As for cheap labor, you get what you pay for. We all suffer.

I can't believe this is what GWB wants for our country, when on the other hand he talks tough about defeating terrorists. Our warriors are coming home to a country that is less sovereign by the minute, where all that they fought to preserve is disintegrating and crumbling before our eyes, where parallel cultures are not only acceptable but the norm.