Bush Makes Desperate Attempt to Save Unpopular Plan Granting Amnesty to Illegal Aliens

FAIR ^ | November 28, 2005 | fair

[VU4G10]

President Bush spoke this afternoon in Arizona, trying, once again, to sell the idea of a massive illegal alien amnesty and the admission of millions of additional foreign “guest” workers as “immigration reform.” While the president’s address includes tougher-than-usual talk on border security and immigration enforcement, the administration’s continuing actions over the past several months reveal he has no intention of carrying through on his promises to the American public. Immigration reform organizations are calling on the White House to follow the lead of members of Congress who have shown they are serious about getting immigration laws enforced, pointing in particular to the Hunter-Goode immigration reform bill introduced last week.

Under the Bush proposal, the estimated 11 million illegal aliens currently in the U.S. would be reclassified as “temporary workers,” and be allowed to remain here for up to six years. In addition, the president and top members of his administration have repeatedly called for the unlimited admission of additional foreign workers in an effort to “match willing workers in other countries with willing employers in this country,” at whatever wages the employer wishes to pay.

“This administration has a sustained track record of ignoring reality when it conflicts with what the corporate interests want it to do,” charged Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). “The president’s plan is nothing more than a massive illegal alien amnesty on a six year time delay, while his temporary worker program which will be anything but temporary is the death knell for America’s middle class.”

Bowing to massive public pressure, the Bush administration is now talking about coupling amnesty and guest workers with a weak enforcement plan. The president and top administration officials have pledged enforcement at the border, the interior of the country and at the work site. “Don’t read their lips, watch what they do,” Stein responded. “The Department of Labor is actively working with the Mexican government to protect illegal alien workers in this country. Peter Accolla, a DOL spokesman told the Associated Press earlier this month, ‘It’s not the policy of the DOL to penalize and expose workers’ irrespective of their legal status in this country.

“Moreover, the administration’s idea of workplace enforcement is based on voluntary self-enforcement by employers,” Stein continued. “A recent Department of Homeland Security fact sheet states, ‘DHS will implement an employer self-compliance program that will link government and business in a united effort to reduce the employment of unauthorized aliens in specific industries.’ Translation: The administration is placing the foxes in charge of the henhouse.

“Unless the president throws his support behind genuine immigration enforcement, such as H.R. 4313, Duncan Hunter and Virgil Goode’s TRUE Enforcement Act, there is no reason to believe he is leveling with the American public,” said Stein. “The White House may have read some polls and reworked the president’s rhetoric, but the bottom line is that Mr. Bush is touting a plan that will be full of rewards for illegal aliens and employers, and full of empty promises for the American public.”

FAIR said the following three items should be administration priorities:

Require employers to verify work eligibility and penalize non-compliance Integrate state-federal immigration law enforcement Cut overall levels of immigration “Unless the American people see real, tangible immigration law enforcement in the interior, no one will believe there is a serious commitment from this president,” said Stein.

[glorgau]

but he may have been warned by Fox that if he enforces the law, they will cut off oil supplies.

If Fox threatened that, he must have been surrounded by people who immediately shouted "Bluff!".

[goldstategop]

I agree. And placing the hugely unqualified babe Julie Myers in charge of Homeland Security on a recess appointment reveals the President's commitment to securing our borders remains just that: talk.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[nicmarlo]

Thanks!

Is Bush's guest worker plan a good strategy for curbing illegal immigration? * 2579 responses

Yes, it provides legal employment opportunities for foreigners. 23%

No, it does not guarantee illegal aliens will leave once their temporary employment status runs out. 77%

[flashbunny]

"Is this thread being reserved for know nothing anti immigration remedial economics types"

Could you try a little harder to be clever? You're not quite there yet.

[nicmarlo]

Do you believe President Bush on Monday articulated a plan to secure our nation's borders and to deal substantively with the issue of illegal immigration?


Yes 2% 162 votes
No 98% 6518 votes


Total: 6680 votes

[Lloyd227]

I agree with the use of the word "Desperate" in the title.

What the hell is wrong with this guy and this administration?

Why is he (they) so adamant that US businesses cannot survive without this illegal and immoral cheap labor pool?

If I were king for a day, we'd combine real immigration reform with corresponding welfare reform. At the end of day 2, you'd find all sorts of healthy able bodied people beginning to get hungry and willing to take whatever work they could get. And this would be a 110% more ethical than what we're doing to these "guest workers".

This topic has moved beyond absurd. The Bush plan has pushed the topic to the edge of sickening.

[dk/coro]

I agree. I have been a long-time Bush supporter. But, I fear that I am going to exercise my Independent status -- and hold my nose the next time around.

Bush has shot himself in the foot so many times these past months, I can't imagine what kind of advice he is really getting -- or LISTENING to -- in the White House.

His use of the Bully Pulpit has been disgracefully ineffective,IMO: Inept, late to the table, and short on meat and potatoes. This gross failure in the PR game has emboldened the opposition as never before -- all due, essentially, to his own ineptness in anticipating the enemy -- and preempting him.

[moehoward]

WOW!!

98% NO!!

[TomasUSMC]

Don't forget the Federal Government. Illegals are the hen that keeps laying golden eggs. Illegals pay taxes and pay into social security but don't collect. The Feds get all the monetary benefits of illegals but its the states that have to deal with all the negatives: Schooling their children, jailing them, hospitals.... and of course who controls the borders - the Feds.

In Fact, the IRS has an account that receives money from illegals - they don't have the correct SS#s and guess what - the IRS doesn't want to know, it just keeps receiving the cash.

Big Companies are paying taxes to the U.S. Government even though a lot of their work is done abroad, and as long as they keep the USGOV afloat, we are not going to care whom they employ to do it. If Bush were to take away Illegals, big Biz would leave even faster and totally.

I say good riddance. Have the Feds start making cars and shoes, and tell Nike and Toyota to sell their crap somewhere else. Geez we've got to the point where the Communist Chinese are making our Army hats and the Mexicans making our Border Patrol uniforms. We can't even make our own bullets!

Last thing we need is another "Program to take care of the Illegals". The last couple didn't seem to work that well. The only thing we need to do is build a fence then start dumping them back over it ASAP.

Yeah I'm not happy.

[stevio]

His use of the Bully Pulpit has been disgracefully ineffective

Yes it has. Yes, it has.

[Borax Queen]

Yes 2% 162 votes No 98% 6518 votes Total: 6680 votes

I caught that live - I could not believe it!

[nicmarlo]

Amazing, on a CNN site even!

[Borax Queen]

Lou Dobbs is an American hero (imho) - he truly cares about the middle class unlike a vast percentage of the rest of the pols and media. He's always covering trade issues, the border, outsourcing of jobs, illegals... Too bad he's on Commie News and I always have to switch channels really fast before and after his show.

[nicmarlo]

I need to remember when he's on, so I can watch him; I just NEVER have CNN on...so I've only caught him a few times when I was channel switching.

[Iscool]

Well, George is hanging on there at 2%...He's doing better than I thought he would...

[Borax Queen]

It's kind of early here (3 - 4 pm in summer and 4 - 5 in the winter) and I so rarely am home by then! At least I caught the last ten minutes today for some hope and inspiration :)

[beaver fever]

"That statement certainly stands on it's own. The United States of America was brought into being with a slave class and certainly doesn't seem to be itself without one."

Oooo, that is so caustic and also true. President Bush is no more a working class stiff than I am an oriental potentate.

/irony off

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Can you or anyone else help me out with this question:

Are the parents of "anchor babies" automatically given US citizenship? If so, how did this come about legally?

[Soul Seeker]

I like the President. I RESPECT Him. I have no regrets I voted for this man twice, nor was my vote a product of the 'lesser of two evil' thought mentality.

Nevertheless, he has no credibility on enforcing border security. None.

He cannot give a speech, as he can on the WOT, and rally the public behind him. He cannot even rally his own base on his position on this issue.

IF he had a record of serious attempts to address border security with documented evidence to prove his claims he could then possibly rally the public for a guest worker program, or at least face less resistance. At this point I think conservatives are more in the stance of "Show Me", unaccepting of rhetoric or attempts to push what amounts to an amnesty program with a 'promise' they'll deliver enforcement in return. Which is why this speech was a complete waste of time today.

I cannot imagine why this was done. Alito is scheduled for hearings in January. We're in the midst of a pushback against the MSM/DEMS over Iraq. The Dec. 15th elections are fast approaching. The economy is doing well and they don't seem to want to trumpet it. Yet, the administration chose this sore subject to raise again? Chalk it up as a wasted day that will swiftly be forgotton by Wednesday when they give another speech about the war, and the administration should be grateful for that.

I will say the highlights of the day were the introductions before the subject of immigration was addressed. The President got muted applause-tepid-over it's proposal before a friendly audience. However, they got an enthusiastic response just for his presence. He's well liked, even if his proposal isn't. Senator Kyl got an enthused response. Now, who was in the middle of these two? Senator McCain. Senator McCain got tepid (polite) applause. It was noticeable, to me, sandwiched as it was between the response to the President and to McCain's counterpart in Arizona.

I realize the thread's about immigration, but it was the one highlight of the day to know McCain must have felt the difference in reception as compared to Kyl or the Prez.

[fallujah-nuker]

"Oh, we have a NEW one,..."

A new entry for the Quisling roster?

OBL's OBL puppets are out in force tonight.