Posted on 11/29/2005 7:21:12 PM PST by 11th_VA
PRESIDENT George Bush has proposed offering the estimated 13 million illegal immigrants in the US three-year guest-worker visas.
Mr Bush said his plan did not amount to an amnesty for illegal migrants, almost 1 million of whom are estimated to enter the US from Mexico each year.
In a speech in Tucson, Arizona, near the Mexican border, he said illegal immigration was "a serious challenge and our responsibility is clear — to protect the border.
"The American people should not have to choose between a welcoming society and a lawful society," he said. "We can have both at the same time."
Under the proposal, the visas could be renewed for another three years if the migrants returned to their country of origin to apply.
Mr Bush announced his visa plan after saying that his Administration would beef up security along the 3200-kilometre border with Mexico and introduce the automatic detention of non-Mexican illegal immigrants, most of them from Central America, who in the past have been picked up, charged with immigration offences and then set free.
"When the date arrives for them to appear, 75 per cent of those released don't show up in court," he said.
"This practice of catch and release has been the government's policy for decades. It is an unwise policy and we're going to end it."
The Republican Party is divided over the issue of illegal migrants.
The vast majority of illegal immigrants enter the US from Mexico with the help of organised rings or family members and friends already in America. Hundreds die each year attempting the crossing from Mexico into Arizona, many of them from the harsh conditions in the desert.
The business wing of the Republican Party has lobbied hard for another amnesty on illegal immigrants, arguing that the economy would be badly damaged if there were a serious attempt to send back to Mexico millions of people who are prepared to do the jobs that Americans are not willing to do.
The illegal immigrants form the majority of America's 2 million farm workers and a significant proportion of construction labourers and service industry workers. They are mainly paid just above the minimum wage and generally do not receive health care or pension benefits. The US offered illegal migrants an amnesty in 1986 during the Reagan administration, when 3 million applied.
But the numbers arriving over the past decade have grown, leaving many Americans alarmed.
Polls have consistently shown that more than 65 per cent of Americans, most of them Republican voters, view illegal immigration as a top-ranking issue and a danger to US security.
With polls showing his support at a record low, Mr Bush has shifted ground on immigration since a key speech in January in which he said illegal immigrants were of fundamental importance to the US economy and deserved the chance to try to better themselves and their families and to become Americans.
The US Congress has spent much of this year battling to come up with an immigration bill that would receive majority support, but congressional leaders announced in October that the immigration debate would be adjourned until early next year.
Most conservative Republicans, especially in border states such as Arizona and Texas, are likely to reject Mr Bush's work visa proposal for illegal immigrants, which many see as a back-door amnesty.
Texas senator Kay Bailey, who represents the views of many Republicans in Congress, said illegal immigrants should be sent home before they could apply for guest-worker visas.
"We have to reward people who come legally and we do need certain types of workers," she said. "But we have to know who is in this country."
Finally, if you work for a company that is knowingly breaking the law, and you know it, do your duty and turn them in.
What if you work for the Federal Government that knowingly breaks constitutional law ?
Thank you for your post on the study on enforcement of existing laws on employment of illegals. You proved my point.
A key point from your post:"employer is REQUIRED to CERTIFY they have examined documents THAT ESTABLISH ID and authorization to work in the US".
How do you do that? What if they have phony docs? Why should a biz be responsible for enforcing immigration laws?
That is the problem, a counterfeit proof id card is needed for all workers issued by the government. That is what many people oppose, but in this day and age it is necessary. We all have drivers licenses, passports, credit cards social security cards etc, what we need is a tamper proof SS card and that is all the employer should be required to check. Having a tamper proof guest worker card does not eliminate fraudulent documents claiming citizenship or lawful residency (green card).
Businesses have to comply with many laws, this is just one more. do you not check Id of your employees? Background check? References?
You want a national ID card, Me too, lets go to Congress and see how high that one flys.
Then we can go to the courts and whatch that one too.
Contact ICE so that the illegal aliens who are using the phony docs can be arrested.
Why should a biz be responsible for enforcing immigration laws?
Why should a business be responsible for enforcing any laws?
Turn them in, I Guess and hope the wife makes aq lot of $$$$
How would the average business person know docs were phoeny? Be a Trancredo clone?
dittos
Match them against an online database of SS#.
This is not rocket science. VISA or MASTERCARD could set it up within weeks. But the cheap labor lobby would raise hell because they're addicted to cheap foreign imports of illegal alien labor
Common sense.
The average fake Resident Alien Card or Social Security Card are badly produced and look unprofessional.
Any person that has the smarts to run a business should have the smarts to recognize a possible fake ID.
There are also many ways to verify SS numbers and Alien numbers.
The same Government Agency that does it now.
What would a business have to do to prove it was innocent?
The same thing an individual has to do to prove his innocents. Go to court and convince a Judge and Jury beyond a reasonable doubt.
How would a disagreement between the employer and the government be resolved?
In court; the same place those disagreements are currently resolved.
How pays for the government inspectors
Who do you think pays for Government workers?
and do you create another government bureau to administrate them?
No, one already exists.
What would be the cost of compliance to the economy/
Very little compared to the cost of illegal immigration.
HOW IN THE HELL ARE GOING TO GET CONGRESS TO PASS THE LAWS NEEDED TO DO WHAT YOU WANT?
The laws already exist.
Impossible.
California spends that much in a single year -- NET -- paying for services to illegals.
What the hell is wrong with Bush?
Are you new to the illegal alien debate?
All your questions are answered the same: These laws and mechanisms exist now. It the question of political will to enforce our laws.
Congress has been doing that for the past year
Why don`t you work on that instead of slamming the President without offering realistic alternatives
Rewarding criminals is not a realistic alternative.
Incorrect.
The States are doing nothing. The only Sate that has attempted to tackle the problem is Arizona and AZ has proved their hands are not tied.
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