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.

[RWR8189]

Hey buddy, it is very likely that I will vote for Bush, all Im saying is that if he keeps pulling this type of crap, I hope he finds a bunch of Mexicans and retired people that suddenly decide to vote for him, because he will need their votes badly.

[texastoo]

If you friend was here for 17 years, why didn't he apply during the 1986 amnesty? Or did he come after he heard the illegals were granted amnesty?

If he came afterwards, you are proving the point that this amnesty will stop nothing.

[Jorge]

You're seriously equating illegal entry, and most likely tax evasion and document fraud to a traffic violation?

Crime is crime. Tax evaders are cheats and speeders endanger all our lives. But many people enter the US illegally simply looking for a better life.
There are plenty of legal Americans we would be better off without, and illegals who make better citizens.
My friend is one of them.

[Sabertooth]

Yeah, but the question is what percentage would support a crackdown on illegals, especially women and children.

That's very different than opposing illegals, in the abstract

In California it 1994 it was over 60%, until the likes of Bush, Kemp, and Bennett shot their pandering mouths off. Drove it a bit under 60.

There's a reason why President Bush cynically proclaims that he's against "blanket Amnesty" (since no President has ever supported one), while simultaneously pursuing means of legalizing millions of Illegals.

There's a reason why the GOP echoes the Democrats in wailing "there's nothing we can do," while wringing their hands in fear that the electorate will ever have a chance to weigh in on this matter.

The reason is that Americans are overwhelmingly and righteously opposed to the pandering and appeasement of President Bush and like-minded politicians to the Illegal Alien lobby.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

The Chi Chi's that was the source of the hepatitis onions, coincidentally had 5 or more workers in the kitchen who had hepatitis. In ONE restaurant.

[GeronL]

how about you all get the hell out so me and my ancesters can sit around campfires outside of our teepees and smoke wampum, insead of building a country up, like the white euros did.

moonshining again??

[Liberty Valance]

Wow, Dubya must be reading this board....:o)

[honeygrl]

"A few anti-immigrant bigots may stay home"

Sorry, but anti-illegal doesn't mean anti-immigrant. I would bet you pretty much everyone on this thread is perfectly fine with people here LEGALLY. It's the ones who BREAK THE LAW to get here that we have a problem with. I doubt you'll find many people here who think amnesty is a good idea.

[sarcasm]

Liars, thieves and frauds don't make good citizens

[Reaganwuzthebest]

You are correct, if no conservative stands up to Bush in the primaries we will be stuck with one of two choices. But my interest is in maintaining a Republican Congress because that's where the conservatives are. Since Bush is doing little on my behalf that I can see I'll just leave that blank or write-in Tancredo, it doesn't matter.

[Metternich]

I think there is. Conservatives are some of the smartest people around. We just need time to come up with good ideas.

[Victoria Delsoul]

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.

This is perhaps a good way to stop the massive inflow of illegals. The illegals won't stop coming, so I don't see how to stop them. Besides, while there is a demand to fill unwanted low-paying jobs, and while there are greedy business owners hiring these workers, we will always have a problem with illegal immigration. So I think GW's plan is pretty good.

[Sabertooth]

Well, I personally am not a fan of asset forfeiture.

Knowingly hiring Illegals is an ongoing criminal enterprise.

For Illegals to take employement is an ongoing criminal enterprise.

Hit them all with RICO laws. Seize everything.

Solve the problem.

[GeronL]

The Chi Chi's that was the source of the hepatitis onions, coincidentally had 5 or more workers in the kitchen who had hepatitis. In ONE restaurant.

I thought they blamed the onion?

[Jorge]

If you friend was here for 17 years, why didn't he apply during the 1986 amnesty?

Probably just missed it. I think he came here in 1986 .....and was legal at first.

[HennepinPrisoner]

yeah, do a search on "german al qaeda", then come to me and tell me we need to pull troops from Germany.

Our troops, for the most part, are doing nothing covert in Germany. In order to fight WOT, you need effective covert operations.

btw, i could give a crap what your ancestry is, and it seems you have a problem misinterpreting posts.

I don't believe I did misinterpret your post. Most reasonable people reading this thread would come to the conclusion that you assumed I was white and that I was prejudiced against Hispanics or a non-English language. If that is not what you meant, then please tell us what you did mean when you said: "do you have a problem with people that look different from you or speak a different language?" (paraphrased).

oh, and my ancestry is american indian. how about you all get the hell out so me and my ancesters can sit around campfires outside of our teepees and smoke wampum, insead of building a country up, like the white euros did.

I won't even dignify that last statement with a response.

And for the future, capitalization and proper spelling are our friends.

[King Prout]

I'm of the "assimilate or die" camp.
Convince me there is a wiser option.

[B Knotts]

The thing is, a lot of potential solutions could be made politically palatable, if the administration really wanted to do so. We supposedly have a national security situation which demands greater attention to security measures, of which 10 million plus illegal aliens is a rather large breach. Using that angle, they could get just about any reasonable measure through Congress. But they don't want to.

[Metternich]

In California it 1994 it was over 60%, until the likes of Bush, Kemp, and Bennett shot their pandering mouths off. Drove it a bit under 60.

Yup, and what happens when Dan Rather leads off every single newscast, night after night after night, with crying Mexican women and children being hauled out of the country away from the lives they've built in America.

I'll tell you what: Political support for the crackdown goes *poof*.