[angkor]

Here's what he said in January 2004:

Excerpts from "President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program":

Third, we should not give unfair rewards to illegal immigrants in the citizenship process or disadvantage those who came here lawfully, or hope to do so.

Fourth, new laws should provide incentives for temporary, foreign workers to return permanently to their home countries after their period of work in the United States has expired.

The legal status granted by this program will last three years and will be renewable -- but it will have an end.

This program expects temporary workers to return permanently to their home countries after their period of work in the United States has expired.

Some temporary workers will make the decision to pursue American citizenship. Those who make this choice will be allowed to apply in the normal way. They will not be given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start. I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship. Granting amnesty encourages the violation of our laws, and perpetuates illegal immigration. America is a welcoming country, but citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America.

[Seattle Conservative]

Thanks for posting this! I remember reading it and was going to go hunting for it. For those who were whining about 'why hasn't he done something before now'
1) as I understand it, he had it out in front as and issue and was going to address it, and then 9/11 happened (recession from that as well as the one that started under Clinton, WOT, including war in Iraq and Afghanistan, setting up new governments, dealing w 24/7/365 bashing and leaks, etc., tax cuts and a few other items).

Looks like the Pubbies were trying to pass border security last year but Hill and Schmuckie voted against it - -of course, now they've put their fingers in the wind and are saying they want it:

Flashback: Hillary Clinton, Charles Schumer Nix Border Security Bill
NewsMax ^ | July 16, 2005

Posted on 04/23/2006 3:57:44 PM PDT by santorumlite

Hillary Clinton, Charles Schumer Nix Border Security Bill

New York's two senators, Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer - who have been complaining since the London bombing attacks that the federal government hasn't done enough to protect the U.S. from terrorists - voted against legislation to enhance border security on Thursday.

Clinton and Schumer turned thumbs down on two amendments to a Department of Homeland Security spending bill, which, according to the Washington Times, would have funded plans for 2,000 new Border Patrol agents and more than 5,000 new detention beds to house illegal aliens.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1620181/posts

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SCHUMER, CLINTON WANT TO ARM NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ON THE BORDER
SCHUMER Press Release ^ | Senator Charles E. Schumer

Posted on 05/12/2006 8:32:41 PM PDT by kellynla

US Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton today joined the Senate's National Guard Caucus – comprised of almost 60 of their Senate colleagues – in asking President Bush to arm the National Guard troops recently deployed to the nation's borders.

As part of its efforts to beef up security along the borders, the Administration deployed National Guard troops on an interim basis to assist Border Patrol, INS and Customs agents but did not arm them. In a letter to the President, the Senators asked the Bush Administration to reverse its decision to bar National Guard personnel from carrying sidearms for strictly protective purposes.

"Until we can get a permanent staff in place that meets the border's long-term security and commercial needs, we'll need to rely on the National Guard to help process the cargo and tourists going in and out of the country," Schumer said. "The men and women who comprise the National Guard force at the border are making some real sacrifices to protect all of us. The very least that we can do is make sure that they can protect themselves."

"Having the National Guard at our borders without guns is a recipe for potential disaster. They are literally at the front lines of our homeland defense and leaving them unprotected would be a real dereliction of duty. They are our National Guard -- we shouldn't let them become targets of opportunity for those who would do them harm," Clinton said.

The following is a copy of the Senators' letter:

"We are writing about the recent interagency agreement on the activation of 1700 members of the National Guard to serve on the nation's border, which bars these highly-trained men and women from carrying firearms for protection. We think this decision places them in grave danger unnecessarily.

(Excerpt) Read more at senate.gov ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1631507/posts