President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program [Transcript]

The White House ^ | Jan 7, 2004 | President George W. Bush

[NonValueAdded]

Let the games begin.

[NonValueAdded]

Indexing ping

[Malesherbes]

I have e-mailed both my Republican Senators and my Republican Congressman to this effect. If you pass this trashing of American citizenship, you will erode your base. I will not vote Democrat, but I will simply stay at home and not vote in November.

[Huck]

Hey, I hadn't heard about this.

[Huck]

The horse is out of the barn.

[kingu]

Hmm. 10,000 border patrol people protecting, uhh, how many tens of thousands of miles of border?

Thanks, Bush. Got some interesting ideas there, but how about kicking out the illegals and closing the borders to them. THEN we can talk about your little jobs program.

[cruiserman]

Fourth, new laws should provide incentives for temporary, foreign workers to return permanently to their home countries after their period of work in the United States has expired.

This doesn't make sense. If they wanted to stay in their home countries, they wouldn't come to the USA in the first place.

[george wythe]

It seems that the most controversial part of his speech is the proposed temporary working permits.

Temporary working permits, or "blue cards," will be issued to temporary workers.

A person can become a temporary worker by:

1. Applying for the permit while living abroad and having a job offer from an American employer, or

2. Applying for the permit while living illegally in the US, paying a fine (fee), and having a current job.

The "blue card" will not give the immigrant automatic permanent residency or US citizenship.

Instead the "blue card" holder will have to apply for his "green card" [permanent resident card] using the current immigration laws.

[jsbankston]

I wonder why liberals are so angry at President Bush. From what I can tell Bush with his Amnesty Program, CFR, Education Bill and 500 Billion Dollar Medicare Bill is being a much better liberal than Bill Clinton ever dreamed.

[ladyinred]

Some temporary workers will make the decision to pursue American citizenship. Those who make this choice will be allowed to apply in the normal way. They will not be given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start. I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship. Granting amnesty encourages the violation of our laws, and perpetuates illegal immigration. America is a welcoming country, but citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America. (Applause.)

This is NOT what I have been hearing on the threads. Thanks for posting the transcript.

[george wythe]

If they wanted to stay in their home countries, they wouldn't come to the USA in the first place.

Many temporary workers just want to save enough money to start their own business back in their motherlands, or buy some land to build a farm.

After all, in many of those countries, a small nest egg is what is necessary to start their own business, or buy some land for their family.

[NittanyLion]

Remind me what the incentive is to ensure you come into this country legally? Illegal entry is now being rewarded with legal status and a job. This will only serve as an incentive for additional illegal immigration.

How can one administration be so good on foreign policy, and so awful on the domestic side?

[alnick]

You're right. This speech bears no resemblence to the wild claims being made all over this site today by so many Freepers. Mass hysteria.

[Dog]

Makes perfect sense.....it's politics in its rawest form.

[NittanyLion]

You're right. This speech bears no resemblence to the wild claims being made all over this site today by so many Freepers. Mass hysteria.

So you think this amnesty is a good idea?

[SunStar]

Once again, FReepers have underestimated President Bush and freaked out before his plan was layed out. He has said all along that he wanted to implement a "guest worker" program, and that he was against Amnesty. And once again, he is doing what he said he would do. This is an honest solution to the illegal alien problem. However, what I did not see in the transcript is what action the HSA will take against those illegal immigrants already here who do not apply for the guest worker program. If they are to be deported, then this plan may actually work. If not, the plan solves nothing.

[OESY]

For the first time in our history, we have consolidated all border agencies under one roof to make sure they share information and the work is more effective. We're matching all visa applicants against an expanded screening list to identify terrorists and criminals and immigration violators. This month, we have begun using advanced technology to better record and track aliens who enter our country -- and to make sure they leave as scheduled. We have deployed new gamma and x-ray systems to scan cargo and containers and shipments at ports of entry to America. We have significantly expanded the Border Patrol -- with more than a thousand new agents on the borders, and 40 percent greater funding over the last two years. We're working closely with the Canadian and Mexican governments to increase border security. America is acting on a basic belief: our borders should be open to legal travel and honest trade; our borders should be shut and barred tight to criminals, to drug traders, to drug traffickers and to criminals, and to terrorists.

Bush presented a well-thought out incentive program that will help us get a handle on uncontrolled immigration and potential terrorists within our borders. It recognizes reality, does not reward illegal behavior and has political side benefits.

[george wythe]

Remind me what the incentive is to ensure you come into this country legally?

Temporary working permits can be obtained abroad without the hefty fee (fine) that illegal workers have to pay to get the blue cards in the US.

Furthermore, legal temporary workers will save $1,000s in coyote's fees.

[GSWarrior]

I have often wondered, in my naivete, why these 'jobs that Americans won't fill' can't be filled by those on welfare, unemployment or prison worker release programs.