Posted on 03/25/2006 3:48:49 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The debate over immigration stretched from the White House to the West Coast on Saturday as thousands of demonstrators protested proposals to crack down on illegal immigrants.
President Bush, in addressing an issue that has divided his party, underscored America's immigrant history and called for secure borders and strict immigration enforcement.
Bush also urged Congress to write new immigration law with a guest worker program that could provide legal status — short of citizenship — for some of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
"As we debate the immigration issue, we must remember there are hardworking individuals, doing jobs that Americans will not do, who are contributing to the economic vitality of our country," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
The House has passed legislation that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally, impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants, and erect fences along one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border. The Senate is to begin debating immigration proposals on Tuesday.
In Los Angeles, thousands of people — some waving and wearing flags of Mexico and other nations — streamed into downtown streets for what was expected to be one of the city's largest pro-immigrant rallies.
Efforts to get tough on illegal immigration also spurred thousands of people to stage school walkouts, work stoppages and marches on Friday in cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix and Atlanta.
The demonstrations are expected to culminate April 10 in a "National Day of Action" organized by labor, immigration, civil rights and religious groups.
Bush, who plans to attend a naturalization ceremony on Monday in Washington, is bracing for a standoff in the Senate this week before he heads south to Cancun, Mexico, where he'll discuss immigration with Mexican President Vicente Fox, a supporter of Bush's guest worker plan.
"America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws, and our immigration laws are in need of reform," Bush said.
Bush wants Congress to create a program to let foreigners gain legal status for a set amount of time to do specific jobs. When the time is up, they would be required to return home without an automatic path to citizenship.
"This program would create a legal way to match willing foreign workers with willing American employers to fill jobs that Americans will not do," he said.
Some critics argue that a guest worker program would create an underclass of foreign workers and stigmatize some jobs associated with foreign labor.
Some Republicans worry that the foreign workers would stay on and become citizens, further straining America's social service and education systems.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., thinks immigration enforcement, national security and border concerns should drive immigration reform. Frist's bill, which sidesteps the question of temporary work permits, would tighten borders, add Border Patrol agents and punish employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., backed by labor unions, has said he will do all he can, including filibuster, to thwart Frist's legislation.
The hottest debate in the Senate will be whether to pass some version of a guest worker program proposed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Their bill would provide up to 400,000 visas in the first year and allow participants, after six years, to seek permanent residency.
___
Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman and Tim Molloy in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
What is "Fair" ?
That is NOT the question, imo.
What is the current law?
Enforce it and with due diligence.
Veesas? We don't need no steenking Veesas!
Thanks El Presidente.
Thanks a lot.
NOT.
Gee, he talks like a man pretending he still has political capital.
Howdy Norm!
"As we debate the immigration issue, we must remember there are hardworking individuals, doing jobs that Americans will not do, who are contributing to the economic vitality of our country," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
I can't tell you how sick I am of hearing this line. And deeply disappointed in the President for spouting it.
If Reid does this, maybe Bush won't look so clueless.
Actually, he said nothing in his address that they were referring to (here) about making the program available to illegals already here, and gave the impression that it would only be available to workers outside the country.
He was pulling a fast one, of course, but it just goes to show how obviously uncomfortable he is stating his full views on the subject openly and forthrightly. I wonder why that might be...
It is obvious that Bush, a Harvard Business MBA graduate, hasn't a clue as to how the free market should operate.
Employers should be forced to automate, adapt, consolidate, raise wages, or die, and the federal welfare, tax, and regulatory nightmare should be completely dismantled. There would be no need for a guest-worker program, as Americans (this means you, Hurricane Katrina "victims") would take these jobs or else starve.
To say that Americans "won't do the jobs..." is elitism and snobbery one would expect from limosuine liberals, much less from a moderate U.S. President.
I know I will get flamed for saying this, but Bush is a horrible President. His legacy will be an awful one, and his presidency will be remembered as a failure. Now, that being said, I realize that he gets blamed for alot of things that are not his fault, and he is fighting an uphill battle against the media everyday. I understand that. However, this issue in particular is one that he can control. He has the power to do so. Instead of doing what the vast majority of American citizens want done, however, he is selling out to business interests, something I thought the Republican Party had put behind them. Apparently they have not. If he truly does support an amnesty plan, then he should have the guts to come out and say so, rather than giving us all this double speak.
I don't care what Bush, the GOP leadership, or the Chamber of Commerce thinks. Any plan in the style of McCain/Kennedy is amnesty, plain and simple. If the platform of this President, and this party, is to to cater to business interests even when they conflict with the will of the people, then everybody needs to rethink their party loyalty and/or affiliation.
Ok. I am usually very mild mannered. But, I HAVE HAD IT. Where do I write and make sure the president will read it? I said if I would slap anyone who said, "Work Americans won't do" again. Obviously I would not do something like that to President Bush, but I am willing to get a bit cranky in writing.
Veesas? We don't need no steenking Veesas!
LOL... hilarious cringe
Hi Eggs! Yup, same old mess, new PR tack.
Looks like more and more rain.. 60 degrees.
His Political capital is gone. Puff . Gone.
I have heard that numbersusa is a pretty good organization.
How many of these "jobs that Americans won't do" have you had yourself or relatives do? I think we need to make a looooong list. I have said on a few threads that my mom's family picked produce -- my maternal grandmother and grandfather were both born in New Mexico. My dad was a laborer when we got older. My husband did landscaping as a teenager. During the hottest day we have had in our area. I have known a few people who were day laborers through agencies. I have a brother-in-law who used to work in a butcher shop. My son wants to mow lawns, but doesn't know who to ask. Anyhone else?
AKA Amnesty
Why doesn't the President try to reform Welfare? Get abled bodied Welfare folks off their B#tts and do a little work that the mexicans are doing?
I am SO sick of winter. We've had, I believe, four days of no rain in the last 25. Enough already. I'm beginning to take it personally. heheh.
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