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You do have some very good points. Particularly when you referenced the workers that have tried to do things the right way all along. The ones that didn't bother with the rules will get a "free pass", so to speak.

While this isn't fair, in any new program there has to be a starting place. This is simply the only attainable starting place, IMO.

As far as boaters coming in, I do think those sort of things are harder to control. If this program gets implemented, land borders will have definable checkpoints. Those checkpoints will help to control what is brought into the country. (Homeland Security plus) We can search those people and what they bring in.

Boats can enter more easily and can avoid detection, bringing in who knows what (until it blows something up, that is).

My ex-husband is now in Miami and they really have the most trouble with the Haitians. They manage all sorts of ways to enter. He certainly has some stories! It's sort of amazing how the water can be used.

I understand what you are saying about the criminal types not following the rules and because of that, we may not have as much access as we would like as to who they are.

But.....consider these situations.

If more workers are entering by legal checkpoints, it will truly be easier to keep watch on the much smaller group that will be making their way through other means. It is easier to track 2 or 3 sneaking in, than to try to watch hundreds. Surveillance can be made more effective. Much more effective in fact.

Finally, if this program works as the president says, the workers will have to prove that they have a job. Not only that, the employers will have to prove that they have hired them.

By involving the employers, we actually encourage them to hire Americans. Wouldn't you want to hire employees that you didn't have to account for all the time?

Having guest workers in US businesses would give us more oversight rights and therefore more opportunity to see what goes on. (patriot act?)

Result, more controls (therefore more intel) on the employers. Sorting out "front companies" or whatever that may be used for terrorism seems much easier.

The more things we can legally watch, the safer we are in my opinion.

I know I could have this all wrong. That's just the way it seems to me.

Tammy

If this program gets implemented, land borders will have definable checkpoints.

Don't we have defined checkpoints now? And people still sneak past them. And even if we do search them and find nothing, that doesn't mean they don't have evil intentions. There are plenty of harmful devices and chemicals in the country that they can get their hands on once they are here. But that's the terrorist angle. The real point of this discussion is illegal immegration. Remember many of the participants of 9/11 would not have been detected as hostile on the surface because they had legitimate looking reasons for being here. That was part of the ruse. Get in and become part of the fabric and...BLAM...suckerpunch.

Getting back to immigration. I'll give Bush the benefit of the little doubt I have. I think this action gains nothing. It doesn't lose much either, except that it will add a bureaucracy to manage the new personel it will take. That adds to the debt. That I don't like, but that's a whole 'nother discussion too. I can only hope that it at least gains Bush some votes from Hispanics. The ones looking for a reason NOT to vote for him will find it no matter what.

I think you'll still find just as many or even more sneaking in because they have to sneak in first and find someone to hire them and then apply for this. I expect there will be some trafficking going on through either legitimate or phantom companies (as you mentioned later in your comment.) Things like this bother me because, before the ink is dry on the bill, someone will have figured a way around it, or to take advantage of it (and our tax money.)

When the term of this certificate is over do they HAVE to leave. If not, they will renew ad-infinitum or go back to their illegal ways. Human nature. And how many of them will want their families to stay behind in Mexico. I'd want my family with me. So they'll work out a way to get them here, most likely illegally.

I'll have to learn more about it before I warm up to it.