Posted on 05/17/2007 2:30:25 PM PDT by PghBaldy
WASHINGTON—Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez issued the following statement on today’s announcement of the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform proposal.
“America is a nation of immigrants. Our history, our prosperity and our values have been shaped by immigrants. But our current immigration system does not work. President Bush has long called for an overhaul of the system to protect our borders and promote our prosperity.
“This year presents a historic opportunity. Under President Bush’s direction, Secretary Chertoff and I have worked many hours alongside a bipartisan group of Senators and their staffs to craft a comprehensive immigration policy that will fix our broken immigration system.
“The consensus package the Senate takes up contains elements we believe are critical.
“First, it secures the border with real triggers before subsequent parts of the law take effect. Second, it has an enforceable temporary worker program that acknowledges there are jobs Americans are not doing and that we cannot grow economically without a growing workforce. Third, it offers a realistic and humane way to bring millions of undocumented workers out of the shadows and into the mainstream without amnesty, ensuring they wait in line behind those who followed the law. It also ends chain migration and implements a merit system to bring in workers with the skills our economy needs.
“The consensus, the center of this debate, is where the solutions will be found. We must compromise to get a final product that everyone can support. But, the point is that this is an historic bipartisan compromise agreement upon which further progress will be made.
“I look forward to the Senate debate and Senate action, and then moving this legislation to the House. Time is of the essence. This is the time to fix the system. We owe it to ourselves and we owe it to our children.”
“Time is of the essence.” - Why the mad rush to turn this into North Mexico, Carlos?
Thanks, RINO hunters.
UGH. Spin, spin, spin your little heart out...
Blah,Blah!Blah!
Usual sound bites, but mr Gutierrez do you happen to know the difference between legal immigrants as opposed to ILLEGAL criminals?????
What's the hurry. The border has been open for 21 years since the last amnesty. Why is there such a hurry for the Senate to vote on it before they (or we) have a chance to read the bill? It's not like the illegals are going to sneak out of the country if we postpone the vote to allow time for a thorough, independent analysis of this year's amnesty bill.
The delay of amnesty until triggered by enforcement turns this into a huge election issue. Both parties must think they can win.
America is a nation of immigrants?
Pardon me, but America is a nation of citizens. We are not just a random accumulation of people. We have a common culture and heritage. It is a heritage that began 400 years ago this week, when the first permanent BRITISH colony was founded in Virginia!
Immigrants are supposed to come here legally and assimilate, not have the country reshape itself existentially to fit their multi-cultural needs.
If our immigration system is broken it is because people have failed stand up for this country and enforce current laws.
“First, it secures the border with real triggers before subsequent parts of the law take effect. Second, it has an enforceable temporary worker program that acknowledges there are jobs Americans are not doing and that we cannot grow economically without a growing workforce. Third, it offers a realistic and humane way to bring millions of undocumented workers out of the shadows and into the mainstream without amnesty, ensuring they wait in line behind those who followed the law. It also ends chain migration and implements a merit system to bring in workers with the skills our economy needs.
This is another attempt to allow 20+ million illegals to become permanent residents and reshape this country. And allowing more guest workers will create more anchor babies, more chain migration, and more incentives for illegals.
“The consensus, the center of this debate, is where the solutions will be found. We must compromise to get a final product that everyone can support. But, the point is that this is an historic bipartisan compromise agreement upon which further progress will be made.
So El Jefe has spoken and we must follow.
“I look forward to the Senate debate and Senate action, and then moving this legislation to the House. Time is of the essence. This is the time to fix the system. We owe it to ourselves and we owe it to our children.”
Whose children? Certainly not those referenced in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
This :our" seems to be the children of the world who wish to reshape America and socialize it.
“America is a nation of LEGAL immigrants. Our history, our prosperity and our values have been shaped by LEGAL immigrants.”
You left out a word there Carlos!
The immigration laws that we already have on the books are just fine if SOMEONE WOULD JUST ENFORCE THEM!!!!!
Call Your Senators Today and tell them to VOTE NO ON CLOTURE OF THE IMMIGRATION BILL Monday!!!
Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Toll free: 1-888-534-6226
This is a means to boost taxes by getting illegals onto the rolls. Since they will not deport them then they might as well make money off of them.
GWB just might go down as the most hated POTUS ever.
FREEP this poll
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/007560.htm
Selection Votes
Yes 5% 340
No 23% 1,450
Hell No! 72% 4,524
6,314 votes total
Poll results are subject to error. Pollhost does not pre-screen the content of
The same lies we've been told all along. W doesn't listen and he doesn't care.
You have nobody to thank but your Republican leadership.
“America is a nation of immigrants.....”
Since the very first statement is a lie, I have no problem dismissing out of hand everything else out of his mouth.
“America is a nation of immigrants”.
Legal Immigrants!
Seems to me that they do not consider “immigration vs. invasion” To me 12 million is an invasion.
But reasonable people could easily see what was in store for us if we booted the "rascal Republicans" out.
Hence, thanks RINO hunters. Bought and paid for.
It's the difference between POWERLESSNESS and having some power. Some is 100% more than NONE.
Serve this up with a large shovel and an industrial size air spray. It stinks to high heaven.
Uh, you DO realize we have a REpublican President and Republican Senate who LOVE this bill? Some, who previously said they would be against amnesty, are now for it (Isakson, Chambliss) there is no there there in the Republican Party. The “conservatives” are the fringe now.
I voted for Santorum.
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