Bush Addresses the Nation on Immigration Reform

Addressing the nation this morning, President Bush spoke of the revised legislation that Senate leaders put before Congress. Bush thanked the leaders of both parties for their efforts.

The review of the bill suggested beefing up the Border Patrol, adding more infrared cameras, and putting up more fencing. It also would address the issue for employers on determining eligibility in the work force. The system calls for "government-issued, tamper-proof identification cards.

President Bush explained that these security issues had to be addressed before the rest of the bill could go into effect. To ensure these measures are enforced the bill would include $4.4 billion for immediate access to implement these tools.

Bush said that U.S. laws on immigration enforcement are no longer effective. Penalties for illegal entry are weak. Gang members are still coming into the country. If we do try to send them back to their country of origin, unless their country allows the return, we can only hold them for 6 months. The immigrants must then be released.

President Bush's words were, "This is unacceptable." He said the new Senate bill addresses these issues, stressing these points. Illegal entry would cause one to be permanently barred from the United States, with both a work and tourist visa being denied. Those immigrants known to partake in illegal gang activity would also be denied. If they are not accepted back into their own country, we could detain them until they are.

The President said this was "...a good start." He went on to say that even with these new security measures, other problems still exist.

To quote the President in his radio address, "Hundreds of thousands of people come here illegally because our current work visa program does not match the needs of a growing and dynamic economy. To discourage people from crossing our border illegally, this bill creates an orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country legally to work on a temporary basis."

Bush said by implementing this new procedure would allow jobs to be filled that are not being done by Americans. This would allow foreigners to legally apply for the positions. This would result in less illegal migration. This, in turn, would allow Border Patrol to address other issues such as drug trafficking, terrorism, and human trafficking.

The President said this new Senate bill is not allowing amnesty. It is resolving the status of 12 million illegal immigrants already in our country. These people are being given the chance to "...get right with the law."

The measures imposed for coming clean would include paying a fine, passing a background check, maintaining a job, and keeping out of trouble with the law. They would have to learn to speak English. All of this would allow the immigrants to qualify for a Z visa. Requesting a green card would mean passing all these stipulations as well as paying an additional fine. This would also move them "to the back of the line". They would have to return to their home country and apply for the green card from there.

President Bush, said in his address, that America could uphold it's "tradition of welcoming and assimilating immigrants" with the passing of the new Senate bill. His words were, "We have an obligation to solve problems that have been piling up for decades."

The President ended his radio address with these words.

"I urge members of both parties to support comprehensive immigration reform. By working together, we can pass this good bill -- and build an immigration system worthy of our great Nation."

Source: The White House, President's Radio Address; June 23,2007