[af_vet_rr]

and a strictly controlled guest-worker program that will ensure immigrants don't overstay their visas.

Tell us more about Perry's support of a guest worker program. We all know Perry has pushed for a guest worker program for years, but I think we'd all like to hear more.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Here is a 2006 governor's release on the subject. Although it is rather old, and doesn't say what he would do as President:

A Better Way to Secure the Border:

I would rather know who is crossing our border legally to work instead of not knowing who is crossing our border illegally to work. A guest worker program that provides foreign workers with an ID removes the incentive for millions of people to illegally enter our country. It also adds those workers to our tax base, generates revenue for needed social services and it can be done without providing citizenship.

So long as we are going to have legal immigration, the best way to do so is with a strict guest-worker program. What we have now is a sieve, with people getting green card visas, coming into the country, and then getting lost in the woodwork. A large number of currently illegal immigrants actually came here with a legal visa, and overstayed their welcome.

A fence won't stop this -- they come through the secure checkpoints. What WOULD stop this is a Canadian-style guest program; they require companies to offer jobs to people before they come, and to take responsibility, and to provide the return ticket as part of the job offer.

They also require companies to offer the jobs publicly, so canadians have first crack at them. That should also be part of our guest worker program.

I don't understand the opposition to a guest worker program, except for those people who are generally against immigration. If we are going to allow some people into the country to do work, we need to control it better.