Posted on 08/27/2005 10:23:56 AM PDT by GOPGuide
PHOENIX - Struggling to pacify his party's warring wings, President Bush is moving toward allowing illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. before February 2004 to qualify for guest-worker visas. People smuggled in after then would be deported.
State leaders in Arizona and New Mexico have stepped up pressure on the Bush administration and the Republican-led Congress to better police U.S. borders and deal with an estimated 10 million people who are living illegally in this country.
"They're trying to split the baby," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said of the White House plan, "and I don't think they can do that."
Bush and his advisers are caught between their supporters in the business sector, who believe the economy needs those workers, and conservatives whose priority is to clamp down on illegal immigration. The White House hopes to have a detailed proposal to Congress in late September or early October.
McCain, who ran against Bush for the 2000 GOP nomination and may seek the White House in 2008, is sponsoring a bill with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., that would create 400,000 three-year visas for guest workers. The legislation has the flexibility to add more in the future and would let undocumented workers stay in the U.S. while they apply.
A competing plan by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would create two-year visas and require that guest workers and illegal immigrants leave the U.S. before they can apply for the chance to work legally in the country.
Conservative House Republicans tend to favor Kyl's tougher approach. McCain mocks it.
"Turn yourself in so we can send you back to Mexico," said McCain, throwing his head back in laughter during an interview at his Arizona office last week. "It's not going to happen."
The White House seems to agree with McCain.
According to administration and congressional officials who took part in a series of White House meetings this summer, Bush does not favor requiring illegal immigrants to be sent home to apply for the visas.
In a nod to his conservative base, however, the president has rejected a part of the McCain-Kennedy bill that the White House believes would put illegal immigrants on an automatic track to citizenship, the officials said.
The officials said it was unclear how many illegal immigrants came after February 2004 or how many later had children in the U.S., conferring U.S. citizenship on those babies. The White House wants to avoid a surge of illegal immigrants who would try to beat a prospective deadline, they said.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the White House has not authorized them to discuss the policy, which is subject to change.
All sides agree that illegal immigration has become a national security, humanitarian and economic crisis:
_Intelligence agencies fear terrorists could slip into the U.S. through Mexico.
_Hundreds of illegal immigrants die each year while trying to enter the U.S. Those who make it often fall prey to criminals and opportunists.
_From construction companies in Arizona to farmers in the Midwest and California, many industries need those cheap and available workers.
"Just stop at one of these construction sites and look and see who those workers are. They're all Hispanic," McCain said. "And I bet you they're illegal."
Depending on how Hispanics react, this fall's immigration debate could help determine whether Democrats or Republicans dominate the fastest-growing voting bloc in years to come.
The issue threatens to divide Democrats. Affluent, well-educated liberals are embracing immigration as part of cultural diversity. But poor Democrats, including blacks, are wary of Hispanics' growing economic and political clout.
Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, who supports the McCain-Kennedy bill, joined Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., this month in declaring immigration emergencies in their states. "We just kept waiting and waiting and waiting but never did see a sense of urgency from Washington," she said.
Voters are frustrated, too, especially in the Southwest, where illegal immigration is an unsettling fact of life.
"It's sad to see Democrats doing what Republicans ought to be doing," Danielle Taylor, 24, a Republican voter in Scottsdale, said during a break from her bank job. "Napolitano may have just earned my vote."
McCain faced tough questions at a town hall meeting Thursday night in Mesa, where conservatives accused him of going soft on illegal immigrants. "No amnesty!" some shouted.
McCain says his bill does not provide amnesty. Conservatives say no better word describes allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S.
Bush may face similar criticism. McCain, Napolitano and other supporters of guest workers argue that it is unrealistic to deport 11 million people.
McCain's bill would require the undocumented workers to register with the government, pay all back taxes and a $2,000 fine, then go through a series of background checks and work at least six years before applying for a green card.
The senator said he is willing to stiffen those requirements. The White House plan probably will have its own.
The White House may take the unusual step of writing the legislation or submitting specific language to Congress.
This has to be our point of attack. Bush himself seems completely impervious to preventing the literal destruction of the US in it's current form, and seems completely unaware of the potential magnitude of the political fallout.
The House of Representatives is a different story. If they think this is an issue that can defeat or elect a Congressman/woman, they will break from Bush in a heartbeat.
You bet it is. He doesn't think they will turn themselves in to be deported, but some how he thinks they will step forward and pay a 2K fine and back taxes??? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Silly man. He's gotta go.
Right here. See RE:#27.
The failed President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, will dictate the legislation, of course.
GWBush and those who came before him, with the help of traitors in Congress, have sold America out.
"I'm afraid he was right."
No need to be afraid, I'm proud to see that so many people are willing to toss partisanship aside in favor of doing the right thing.
It is more than just Iraq. In January 2004 when Bush first proposed this lunacy his poll ratings sunk 10 points overnight. People are aware of this issue more than he and Congress think and will not forget so easily by 2006.
These are not ordinary, legal 'workers', these are illegal aliens.
Make that sentence "Bush and his advisers are caught between their supporters in the business sector, who believe the economy needs these illegal workers, ..." to see how absurd this sounds. American businesses do not need to be breaking the law to hire these illegals, and the president should not be proposing ways for businesses to profit from their illegal activities.
The president, as the head of the executive, should be enforcing our immigration laws against those who are blatantly flouting them by sneaking across our borders and those who are encouraging them by hiring them (and those who are now trying to encourage them to buy homes with mortgage money that largely comes from the GSEs.)
i used to think Bush was laying a nice path for conservatives to the future. it's been looking a bit more rocky lately
he has a profound disconnect on immigration...really incredible....one day, if the existing American culture is not completely subjugated, academics will talk about this:
"he was great on foreign policy and strong when American needed it, he tried to institute some tax reforms and a wee bit of cultural conservatism and had some successes but he ignored illegal immigration back when there was still a chance to do something about it."
i used to think Bush was laying a nice path for conservatives to the future. it's been looking a bit more rocky lately
he has a profound disconnect on immigration...really incredible....one day, if the existing American culture is not completely subjugated, academics will talk about this:
"he was great on foreign policy and strong when American needed it, he tried to institute some tax reforms and a wee bit of cultural conservatism and had some successes but he ignored illegal immigration back when there was still a chance to do something about it."
Does this mean they are admitting that whats been going on for the last five years was part of a plan?
My question is how do we determine if an ilegal was here before or after 2-04?? What a joke.
"Si Senior I was hereo beforo 2owo 4 owo""
I'd consider Jim Kolbe, Jeff Flake and Chris Cannon to be part of the cheap labor wing of the GOP.
Funny, I don't feel pacified. I feel p!ssed-off.
We're being sold out and the only ones who are even bothering to attempt to address the issue are the frickin' Democrats for pity's sake!
If this crap keeps up, we may as well kiss the White House and the Congress goodbye in 2008.
Quote: If the economy needs immigrant workers, then they can come here legally.
But then big business will have to pay workers comp, SS, etc
The GOP-people oppose illegal immigration and amnesty.
It's the majority of GOP politicos who are pro-illegal immigration.
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