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At the same time, we are launching the most technologically advanced border security initiative in American history. We will construct high-tech fences in urban corridors, and build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas. We will employ motion sensors … infrared cameras … and unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent illegal crossings. America has the best technology in the world – and we will ensure that the Border Patrol has the technology they need to do their job and secure our border.

I am optomistic, but cautious. does this mean there will be a REAL "barrier" allong the entire border? (or just more of the vehicle barriers.

And temporary workers must return to their home country at the conclusion of their stay.

This I like. HOWEVER it is tempered with what is below. If the guest worker is a NON CONVERTABLE visa and is NOT connected to dealing with the 11 million (soon to be 100 million family included) it is a positive. The guest worker program should not be linked in any way to the illegals in this country unless they leave and apply to join it.

That middle ground recognizes that there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently – and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record. I believe that illegal immigrants who have roots in our country and want to stay should have to pay a meaningful penalty for breaking the law … to pay their taxes … to learn English … and to work in a job for a number of years. People who meet these conditions should be able to apply for citizenship – but approval would not be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law. What I have just described is not amnesty – it is a way for those who have broken the law to pay their debt to society, and demonstrate the character that makes a good citizen.

This I don't like. If this is the REAL goal then THERE IS NO REASON TO CHANGE CURRENT LAW WHICH DOES PROVIDE FOR THIS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED. This is the law RIGHT NOW. No new law, no need to change. Illegals in the USA for ten years who have done exactly as described have the path for a hardship visa and a then after five years can apply for citizenship.

I would be more optomistic if this were clearly not linked to the guest worker visa. This is just being deliverd as an easing of the current law. I think the public would be more accepting if the current process was simply brought forward to the public.

The bottom line is this was a good day for the illegals.

I think some posters are letting their desperate hopes color their perception. All I heard was a half hearted semi-proposal that ignored specifics and made vauge promises.

1) Bush called for "high-tech" fences employing cameras/motion detectors - sounds like a VIRTUAL fence scam once more. Besides "urban-corridors" is NOT the 700 miles of real fencing proposed in the House (let alone the full border fencing proposed by Goode-Hunter in their house bill).

2) A few barriers in rural areas and some patrol roads with "drones" does not sound like ANY or serious barriers outside urban areas.

3) His guest worker B.S. applies to new guest workers. I sensed the current illegals will be given a free pass to stay, work, and wait for citizenship. Although, he is so vauge so as to let people believe different things.

4) Document security is little more than a shiny ID card for guest workers. No improvment in D.L. ID standards, no SS card improvment. No mention of computer data bases. No mention of the 40% who overstay their visas who fake their citizenship with phoney SS cards. No specifics on internal enforcement, no improvement with more internal agents. No specific penalties that "THIS TIME" will be enforced. No mention of how many new beds and dentention centers. Just 6000 new agents for a 2000 mile border

5)He intentionally mangled language, calling for a "middle way", as if he is at least holding current illegals partially accountable. How? By "compromising" and giving them a path to citizenship while staying here. What is that the middle of, what are the illegals giving up in return?????. NOTHING.

Bush is a little man - a small minded and crabbed thinker who does not even know when he is lieing and dribbling utterly vapid rhetoric...he thinks he said something tonight.

Pathetic.