Bush Confident Immigration Deal Possible
But at what price? We remain less confident.
AP reports: “President Bush declared progress Tuesday in tightening the nation’s southern border and pushing major immigration changes through Congress despite widespread skepticism that lawmakers can find a compromise.”
“I know when you watch your television or listen to the radio, it seems like there’s nothing but disagreement on immigration policy in Washington,” Bush said, a blazing sun beating down on him and the barn behind him used to simulate armed encounters in Border Patrol training exercises.
“Yet there’s a growing consensus among all parties and all regions of the country that fundamental reforms are needed,” he said.
The operative words: Fundamental reforms.
Bush spoke after watching trainees in the dusty heat role-play in ways to protect the U.S.-Mexico border against illegal crossings — boarding buses to check IDs, aiming pretend guns at a vehicle under suspicion, interviewing car occupants at checkpoints and scouring freight cars.
With all due respect to el Presidente, our nation’s immigration problem won’t be stopped by checking buses or cars. The illegals are walking in across our open border. Hence, we need a fence. Or the widespread application of our most advanced security technology (and weaponry) to deter the illegal (we repeat, illegal) entry of foreigners into our country.
The visuals of Bush’s two border-state stops focused on enforcement — a key theme as the president woos recalcitrant conservatives in his party to abandon a get-tough-only approach and support comprehensive reform. Bush says that, to be effective, any legislation should include a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants that meet certain criteria and create a new program allowing legal work permits for foreigners. He has been promoting his seriousness about stepped-up enforcement to sweeten that argument.
Why should “a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants” be critical to offering “effective” legislation? That’s nonsense. It offers reward. It creates incentive.
To be effective, any legislation must be serious about enforcement. Period. We’ve got ample laws already on the books that aren’t being upheld. Providing a path for illegals achieve citizenship does nothing for — what should be — our country’s primary interests: (a) national security (b) enforcement, and (c) long-term effectiveness. And by not offering amnesty, what’s going to happen? Illegals are going to walk-out? Protest? At least they’ll be “coming out of the shadows.”
He claimed “widespread agreement” on broad philosophical points such as the need to better control the border and stiffen penalties on companies that hire illegal immigrants. The implication was that, as congressional negotiators prepare for difficult talks over the radically different bills passed by the House and Senate, there is more to work with than it appears.
Yes — stiffen penalties on companies that hire illegal immigrants. There should be far more emphasis placed on this. No jobs, no magnet for illegals.
The House bill generally is limited to increased border enforcement, making all illegal immigrants subject to felony charges and advocating extensive fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. The Senate version includes more money for border security, but it creates a guest worker program that would legally bring in new foreign workers and provides a shot at citizenship for many already here.
What the AP fails to report here is that the Senate version, on top of many of its obvious flaws, also provides for dramatic increase in legal immigration — which would swell America’s population by adding 100 million immigrants in 20 years, mostly unskilled, poor, and extended families. Translation: Adding greater burden to our public infrastructure, increased population density requiring more natural resources, and further taxing the American public. Just to name a few.
It’s cultural suicide.*
Vote No on Senate Bill 2611.
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Is the U.S. Senate Incompetent or Deceitful?
Technorati Tags: CIRA, Washington, Immigration, Illegal Aliens
June 8th, 2006 at 8:47 am
I don’t think even it’s worth listening to Bush speak on this topic anymore.
June 8th, 2006 at 9:25 am
He will turn away - as he did on SS reform and Harriet Miers and the Dubai Ports.
He will or doom himself to impeachment. Does he really think that republicans will turn out to vote for a party that does not represent their security concerns. This is contrary to our interests in the GWOT and we know it, why doesn’t he know it?
When republicans don’t vote - dems take over - and their first act as promised will be his impeachment.
GWB proceeds with this support for amnesty at his own peril.