Bush Must Talk Sense To Republicans On Immigration

Much as he reached out last week to former secretaries of State and Defense on Iraq policy, President Bush should call in his radio talk-show supporters for a frank chat about immigration.

Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt and Laura Ingraham certainly aren't as distinguished as ex-Secretaries James Baker, Madeleine Albright and Robert McNamara, but they are the ones fueling Republican uproar over illegal immigration.

Yet they support Bush ardently and they ought to be open to an argument from him - an argument that happens to be correct - that the only way the United States is truly going to solve the problem of illegal immigration is with a comprehensive plan, like his, that not only controls the borders but creates legal means for immigrants to work.

Bush also needs to make the argument to GOP House Members, who voted overwhelmingly last month for an enforcement-only bill that beefed up border security, made it a felony to be an illegal alien and authorized building a fence along some of the border with Mexico.

Bowing to pressure engendered by the talk-show claque, Bush tilted right himself, delivering a pair of speeches that emphasized stricter enforcement, but downplayed his traditional support for work permits and declaring opposition to "amnesty" for illegals.

House Members went home able to tell angry constituents that they'd cracked down on immigration, but the truth is they've done nothing. No bill has passed the Senate and what's in the offing is a stalemate - unless Bush can rally his party to do something sensible.

If it's not delayed by hearings on National Security Agency wiretaps on top of confirmation proceedings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito, the Senate Judiciary Committee is supposed to take up immigration reform this month.

Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) has drafted a comprehensive bill that includes beefed-up border controls, stricter internal employment checks and a work permit system to allow new immigrants and illegals to have legal employment in the U.S. for up to six years.

It's a far better approach than the House bill, but business and pro-immigrant groups are concerned that the bill will contain a provision sponsored by Sens. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) that would require workers to return to their home countries after their six-year work visas expire.

That would disrupt employment patterns and family life and discourage illegals from reporting for work permits in the first place.

A far better solution would be for the Senate to adopt "earned legalization" provisions of the bill sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), which would allow illegals and temporary workers to stay in the U.S. if they pay fines, back taxes, learn English and pass through a clearance procedure.

Immigration restrictionists denounce the McCain-Kennedy provision as "amnesty," but it's really a recognition of reality: There are 11 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., and it would be far more efficient to concentrate law enforcement resources on finding and expelling criminals among them than trying to corral them all. If the Senate passes a comprehensive measure, with or without McCain-Kennedy, there's a danger that it would be rejected in the House as too lenient. And the House's enforcement-only bill would be filibustered in the Senate.

It's up to Bush to avoid stalemate - and there are lots of good arguments he can use to pull his party together. On the merits, he can show that enforcement-only immigration policy simply doesn't work. According to the Migration Policy Institute, overall spending on immigration enforcement increased from $1 billion in 1985 to $4.9 billion in 2002. Appropriations for the border patrol went up tenfold, and the number of agents rose eightfold. Yet, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, the number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. has averaged from 480,000 to 660,000 and a total of 9 million have entered since 1990.

The National Immigration Forum, which advocates both stronger enforcement and earned legalization, estimates that the average cost of making an arrest at the border has increased from $300 in 1992 to $1,700 in 2002.

Talk-show hosts are right to argue that illegal immigration is out of control and that terrorists can smuggle their way into the U.S. along with workers. To the extent possible, the border should be sealed, and Bush should vow to do it.

But he also should make the obvious case to Republicans - and get help from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in doing so - that there aren't enough U.S. workers to fill the jobs immigrants generally take.

He also should make the political case that his efforts to woo Hispanic voters into the GOP - which has been successful when backed by welcoming rhetoric - will suffer if the party develops an exclusionist reputation.

And he can cite evidence from 2005 elections in Virginia and California: Anti-immigrant campaigns don't win. In Southern California, Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the much-publicized Minutemen Project, a civilian border-control group, got only 25 percent of the vote and finished third in a special election to succeed to succeed Rep. Christopher Cox (R), who now heads the Securities and Exchange Commission.

And former Virginia Attorney Gen. Jerry Kilgore (R) lost to Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine (D) despite ads that attacked Kaine's support for a day-labor site in suburban Herndon and education for immigrant children. The ad concluded, "What part of illegal doesn't Kaine understand?"

There's a foreign policy angle to be argued. Even though Mexico's current president, Vicente Fox, has bolstered the anti-immigrant cause with his loud complaints about U.S. policy, the United States has every interest in encouraging the election next year of Felipe Calderon, the Harvard alumnus who is the nominee of Fox's PAN party.

Currently, the 2006 favorite is former Mexico City Mayor Andres Lopez Obrador of the left-wing PRD party - someone who's likely to get financial assistance from Venezuela's radical President Hugo Chavez and, if elected, could pursue economic policies that cause a surge in illegal immigration.

Finally, there's evidence in a Tarrance Group poll that a combination of tough border enforcement and McCain-style earned legalization is popular. That plan beat an enforcement-and-deportation plan 58 percent to 33 percent - and that was just among likely Republican voters.

Doing the right thing is win-win for Republicans, if only Bush can convince Sean Hannity.

...but they [talkshow hosts] are the ones fueling Republican uproar over illegal immigration.

Wrong! Morton.

Common sense among the general population is fueling the uproar. People want solutions. Most of Congress and the President are only offering appeasement and amnesty for illegals. They did that the last time a major amnesty was approved -- and it was supposed to be the LAST one to solve the problem. It didn't then, and it won't in the future.

that the only way the United States is truly going to solve the problem of illegal immigration is with a comprehensive plan, like his, that not only controls the borders but creates legal means for immigrants to work.

Mort! That is the same rhetoric that has been bandied about since the last amnesty. Yet, the problem has increased. Why? Only parts have been applied.

First and foremost, we have to control the border. Unless and until that is done, the rest is just rhetoric. KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Either you are for National security or you are not. Leaving the border open for cheap labor is hurting this nation ans it's security. Wait until Al Quaeda send up a squad or two from Mexico.

Beside if you really want to get down to brass tacks illegal aliens cost use more and do more damage then the terrorists. 911 destroyed less then 20 blocks and killed about 3000 people. How many Americans are killed by illegals? Whether through crimes or accidents. Case in point a few months ago I read on this board of a family being killed by a illegal driving drunk. How much have they hurt this country by driving down wages? The economic s=ecurity of this country is important and it is threatened by the invasion from the south.

"Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt and Laura Ingraham certainly aren't as distinguished as ex-Secretaries James Baker, Madeleine Albright and Robert McNamara, but they are the ones fueling Republican uproar over illegal immigration."

How did that murderous old fool McNamera get on the list? No one should be reaching out to that idiot for anything.

We need to control the border - now.

When we stop the flood of ILLEGAL aliens then we can talk about "guest workers" and all the rest.

First, control the borders, as required by the US Constitution.

Quit trying to link it to a bunch of unrelated issues.

Umm, Mort, hi.. I'm from California. You know, the liberal hotbed? I think the worst poll I've ever seen here was 65% of the population wanted illegal immigration stopped.

Nationally it polls in the high sixties, low seventies.

What does that tell ya there, Mort? It tells you that the talk shows aren't whipping up a frenzy over illegal immigration, they're tapping an existing market.

We're more than a bit ticked that folks like you want to give away the store. Oh, boo-hoo, the illegal has to go home after six years. Disrupting family life? I thought this was a work permit program, not a family enrichment experience. Wouldn't they want to go home to their families, Mort? Or are you proposing that every work permit bring with it authorization for them to bring their whole family?

Mort, time for you to get your foot out of your mouth and maybe, just maybe, crack yourself out of Washington to see how much of the country has been severely wounded by unchecked illegal immigration. Tour the schools, see how they're overrun. Stop by the jails, see how they're full. Read the rape reports, the murder reports. Talk to all the families of the officers who were slain by illegals who have slipped across the border and roam free because we might kill their sorry rumps (after twenty to thirty years of appeals.)

In other words, he is not talking about a guest worker program at all but rather a massive expansion of permanent immigration of the 3rd world, ignorant, low skilled, most likely to require public financial assistance, most likely to raise children who drop out of school, and most likely to vote Democrat variety. Mort is talking about guests that never go home!

First, Morton is a Washington insider and will do what is required to keep his status on the "A" list party circuit. In other words, he is a shill for powerful lobbyists.

Secondly, just today, it was reported that our nation's health system is being compromised by out of control demands on the hospital emergency rooms. It wasn't reported directly that criminal aliens are responsible but when CA hospitals get an "F" grade and the New England states (with a much smaller criminal alien exposure) gets a "B+" grade one can infer that criminal aliens are the causative factor.

The idea that enforcement alone won't allay the problem is ridiculous on it's face. It is like the argument against capital punishment, we have to be serious first, demonstrate our resolve, execute the plan, and then examine the evidence. But, can you or I imagine a politician to actually be serious with lobbyists around and parties to attend? Can you imagine a politician to have resolve on an issue with so much at stake? And, how long will they stick to it to see it to the end? And, if and when it is executed, the MSM will report the so-called facts in support of the Left's agenda and the deconstructionists of our Free Republic.

>>Wait until Al Quaeda send up a squad or two from Mexico.<<

If that happens, the history books will all paint GWB as a blithering moron. I can't say I will disagree, IF that happens.

Islam is definitely a growing religion in South America and Mexico. And there is evidence of attempts by al-Qaeda to become an influence in parts of South America and Mexico.

I fear the premise is not if, but when.

"The National Immigration Forum, which advocates both stronger enforcement and earned legalization, estimates that the average cost of making an arrest at the border has increased from $300 in 1992 to $1,700 in 2002."

HUH??

How much does a one-way bus ticket cost after discovering the lack of proper paperwork?

I'd that "average cost" broken down, please.

With respect to Islam getting hold in SA and CA (Central America). A bartender in Boca Grande, FL, that I know, who is from Costa Rica, several years ago said to me that ME types are moving to Costa Rica and setting up shop. They are building Mosques and hiring locals to work for them in their businesses. (when you but a shirt from WalMart made in Costa Rica the factories were set up by ME business men and the profits go to building Mosques) The workers are encouraged to convert to Islam, at the point of a gun. There is gang warfare, local v. Muslim, that is tearing up the structure of the nation. He works in the US for the high season and goes back to his family where they live a "rich" life there due to his earnings here (he is legal, BTW) where they can avoid the inner city influence of Islam. But he said, it is very dangerous, be very aware.

If 20 Million Taxpayers gave Washington the finger I can guarantee you the Government would round them up and prosecute them.

I don't want to hear from anyone that the illegal immigration problem is so big that we must accomodate law breakers.

Morton is as big of a fool on this topic as Bush is.

Oh good grief, if Bush were to meet with Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt and Laura Ingraham I and a lot of the nation would lose respect for him. These people are entertainers, they're about as real as pro-wrestling, it disturbs me that there are people out there who miss this salient point. They are no more or less credible than Howard Stern or Andy and Opie. Bush doesnt need a sit down with the radio clowns, he already has the facts on immigration - the sad truth is he doesnt have the same opinion on it we do.

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