US President George W. Bush unveiled the outlines of his latest
immigration proposals on Monday, mixing tougher border enforcement
and a path to legal status for illegal immigrants.
During a tour of the border areas in Yuma, Arizona, Bush noted,
"it's important we get a bill done," asking Congress to get
legislation on comprehensive immigration reform to his desk this
year.
The president's high-profile visit to Yuma and the address to an
audience of 350 border agents, National Guard personnel and local
law enforcement officials, is part of a White House pitch to
convince House and Senate Democrats, once natural allies of the
president's combined approach of enforcement and citizenship, to
sign on again.
Intense behind-the-scene negotiations over the last two weeks
have produced a flurry of leaked proposals.
Conceding that the issue is "emotional," Bush called for a
"serious and civil and conclusive debate" over his plan.
It envisions five elements: border security; a temporary worker
program for immigrants to "do jobs Americans aren't doing";
sanctions against employers who knowingly hire illegals; a
"practical solution" to the problem of illegal immigrants short of
either amnesty or deportation; and requirements that immigrants
learn English and American history "to honor the tradition of our
melting pot."
But rumors about the details of the White House plan -- which
includes a proposal that illegal immigrants return to their
countries and apply for a green card at a cost of US$10,000 each --
brought an estimated 7,000 protesters to the streets of Los Angeles
last Saturday, demanding a renewed push for citizenship.
Democratic leaders in the Congress have told Bush they will not
pass a bill with Democratic votes alone, forcing the administration
to work Republicans.
In addition to wanting to get a comprehensive immigration bill
passed before the presidential campaign season overwhelms any
instincts for bipartisanship, Bush, who grew up in Midland, Texas,
has a personal history with the issue.
He is bilingual, and he won 50 percent of the Latino vote in his
first gubernatorial race in 1998.
Even while running for president in 2000, Bush signed a bill
protecting welfare benefits for illegal immigrants.
"This is a matter of national priority," he said. "It's also a
matter of deep conviction for me."
(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2007)
