Immigration Reform on Bush Agenda

Washington Post ^ | December 24, 2003 | Mike Allen

[sarcasm]

< SNIP >

Lobbyists working with the White House said Bush is developing a plan that would allow immigrants to cross the border legally if jobs are waiting for them. The sources said the administration also wants to provide a way for some undocumented workers in the United States to move toward legal status.

Bush will try to make the plan more palatable to conservatives by including stricter entry controls, including increased use of technology at the border and steps toward better enforcement of current visa restrictions and reporting requirements, sources said.

< SNIP >

The White House plan is being designed by Bush's senior adviser, Karl Rove, in consultation with the domestic policy staff. Sources said the White House's biggest concern is that the new mechanism not penalize people who had followed the law and reward those who had not. McCain's plan, which was introduced in the House by Reps. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), tries to mitigate that problem by creating a new type of visa for previously undocumented workers who would be allowed to live in the United States legally for three years. Then the workers could apply for the temporary worker visa, which would be the path to a green card, or legal permanent residency. That would amount to a three-year advantage for those who entered legally.

[LasVegasMac]

Beg to differ, mud for brains.

You imply that they are here only to be exploited by the Republicans.

Now hold that mirror up, stare intently, and ask yourself, "Can I think for myself or should I just repeat the "Rat mantra?"

Oops, sorry. You lose.

LVM

[Metternich]

Sure, but if Bush attempted to crack down on companies hiring illegals, the outcry from the major newspapers and networks -- all liberal of course -- would be deafening. And the liberal media would pin the whole thing on the evil Republicans. It might not cost Bush re-election, but it could cost us seats in the house and senate. Is that price worth it?

[sarcasm]

I have a friend who's illegal but has been working here for 17 years. I hope Bush makes it easier for people like him to stay here legally.

Your criminal friend should be deported.

[HennepinPrisoner]

I have a friend who's illegal but has been working here for 17 years.

I'm sure I have seen an empty beer can on the ground that is his or a dirty diaper in the street that his wife threw there.

I hope Bush makes it easier for people like him to stay here legally.

Don't worry...I am sure you will get your wish

[Sabertooth]

Dream on. President Bush is going to win in a landslide.

With coattails?

If not, where are your judicial confirmations?

[Metternich]

Good article, but crackdowns are too politically costly.

[Torie]

I clicked your link. Nice formatting. Not much in the way of assets to forfeit, for those you really want gone, rather than those that have ascended to the middle class, and are eager to vote Republican. That dog won't hunt. Back to the drawing board.

[Mr. Mojo]

I said "Republicrats", not Republicans. That word-fusion implies both parties are similarly (and successfully) bribed. Damn, are you stupid.

[dagnabbit]

We would be better off with Dean in the White House and a vigorous opposition in the GOP Congress. Then conservatives could watch their front only and stop worrying about the repeated knives in the back from this inarticulate wonder we call a president.

[King Prout]

If we employ a Utilitarian approach, then in large part the Illegals can be persuaded to Deport Themselves.

remember when we had a minor disagreement a while back, and I said that I usually have great respect for your opinions? scratch "great respect" in this instance and replace it with "absolute endorsement" Damn it, how do we get you elected God for a day?

[Torie]

By the way, the progeny, who might indeed acrete substantive assets, will all be legal. Hillary might be disingenuous, but they (the illegals who plan to stay) do indeed do it for the children. They aren't stupid, just long term planners. Quite smart actually.

[TheDon]

I think he was referring to the lesser paid jobs, picking lettuce, etc.

[Jodi]

why, you afraid someone is going to come into this country who looks, talks, and thinks differently from you? Didn't Simon-Peter want to kick Matthew out of the group because Matthew was a tax collector? What about the woman at the well? How about the thief on the cross? I am so sick of you "holier-than-thou" conservatives. yeah, lets get Bush outta there, and get dean in there. Then we can pull all the troops out on the WOT and start a WOM (war on mexicans).

[TheDon]

Waiting for the Repubs to take back the Senate in 2004 and stop the filibusters. It is going to be glorious to behold. :^)

[Metternich]

See #62.

Only 1, 2 and 6 are politically feasible. However 1 and 2 won't work because every time you deport 'em , they just come back. Instead of deporting them, you'd have to imprison them, and then you come back to the political price being too high.

[GeronL]

When they catch an illegal, not that they were actually looking hard, they give them 'notices to appear' in court... and those illegals never show up for the hearing!

Our system can't handle that

what a messed up system.

[Sabertooth]

I clicked your link. Nice formatting. Not much in the way of assets to forfeit, for those you really want gone, rather than those that have ascended to the middle class, and are eager to vote Republican. That dog won't hunt. Back to the drawing board.

It hunts. Matricula consular bank accounts, Illegal Alien home loan programs, trucks with shiny gold rims, etc.

That's only part of the equation, anyway. Enforce the laws against Illegals in the interior, and then there will be far less incentive to tresspass. Right now, 90% of all deportations take place when Illegals are apprehended within 72 hours of the border. Beyond that, the risk to them dwindles to zero.

Rounding up a few hundred thousand will create a stampede. The cost/benefit analysis is quite encouraging.

Simultaneously, assets of employers knowingly hiring Illegals should also be seized, and also auctioned to finance future interdiction.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"There is nothing preventing us from enforcing our immigration laws, except cowardice."

Not enforcing the laws has been the govt strategy all along, to force amnesty on us as our 'only hope'. I saw it coming last year. That was the only possible end to the policy. But they could not come out and say it because of public sentiment. So they screwed us incrementally.

They sold the HS Dept as an entity that would organize immigration, fix the problems, and enforce the laws. THEY LIED.

[HennepinPrisoner]

why, you afraid someone is going to come into this country who looks, talks, and thinks differently from you?

I am Hispanic, though I do not speak Spanish (in case that is what you were implying). And no, I am not self-loathing.

Then we can pull all the troops out on the WOT and start a WOM (war on mexicans).

Not necessarily. We can pull our troops from Germany and place them along the border. They would be more useful in the WOT along our borders than they would be in Germany.