George Bush actually did something right

Text of
President Bush's speech on immigration Monday night:
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Good evening. I have asked for a few minutes of your time to discuss a matter of national importance: the reform of America's immigration system.

The issue of immigration stirs intense emotions and in recent weeks, Americans have seen those emotions on display. On the streets of major cities, crowds have rallied in support of those in our country illegally. At our southern border, others have organized to stop illegal immigrants from coming in. Across the country, Americans are trying to reconcile these contrasting images.

And in Washington, the debate over immigration reform has reached a time of decision. Tonight, I will make it clear where I stand, and where I want to lead our country on this vital issue.

We must begin by recognizing the problems with our immigration system. For decades, the United States has not been in complete control of its borders. As a result, many who want to work in our economy have been able to sneak across our border and millions have stayed.

Once here, illegal immigrants live in the shadows of our society. Many use forged documents to get jobs, and that makes it difficult for employers to verify that the workers they hire are legal. Illegal immigration puts pressure on public schools and hospitals, strains state and local budgets, and brings crime to our communities. These are real problems, yet we must remember that the vast majority of illegal immigrants are decent people who work hard, support their families, practice their faith, and lead responsible lives. They are a part of American life but they are beyond the reach and protection of American law.

We are a nation of laws, and we must enforce our laws. We are also a nation of immigrants, and we must uphold that tradition, which has strengthened our country in so many ways. These are not contradictory goals. America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time. We will fix the problems created by illegal immigration, and we will deliver a system that is secure, orderly and fair. So I support comprehensive immigration reform that will accomplish five clear objectives.

First, the United States must secure its borders. This is a basic responsibility of a sovereign nation. It is also an urgent requirement of our national security. Our objective is straightforward: The border should be open to trade and lawful immigration and shut to illegal immigrants, as well as criminals, drug dealers and terrorists.

I was the governor of a state that has a 1,200-mile border with Mexico. So I know how difficult it is to enforce the border, and how important it is. Since I became president, we have increased funding for border security by 66 percent, and expanded the Border Patrol from about 9,000 to 12,000 agents. The men and women of our Border Patrol are doing a fine job in difficult circumstances, and over the past five years, we have apprehended and sent home about 6 million people entering America illegally.

Despite this progress, we do not yet have full control of the border, and I am determined to change that. Tonight I am calling on Congress to provide funding for dramatic improvements in manpower and technology at the border. By the end of 2008, we will increase the number of Border Patrol officers by an additional 6,000. When these new agents are deployed, we will have more than doubled the size of the Border Patrol during my presidency.

At the same time, we are launching the most technologically advanced border security initiative in American history. We will construct high-tech fences in urban corridors, and build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas. We will employ motion sensors infrared cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent illegal crossings. America has the best technology in the world and we will ensure that the Border Patrol has the technology they need to do their job and secure our border.

Training thousands of new Border Patrol agents and bringing the most advanced technology to the border will take time. Yet the need to secure our border is urgent. So I am announcing several immediate steps to strengthen border enforcement during this period of transition:

One way to help during this transition is to use the National Guard. So in coordination with governors, up to 6,000 Guard members will be deployed to our southern border. The Border Patrol will remain in the lead. The Guard will assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems analyzing intelligence installing fences and vehicle barriers building patrol roads and providing training. Guard units will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities that duty will be done by the Border Patrol. This initial commitment of Guard members would last for a period of one year. After that, the number of Guard forces will be reduced as new Border Patrol agents and new technologies come online. It is important for Americans to know that we have enough Guard forces to win the war on terror, respond to natural disasters, and help secure our border.

The United States is not going to militarize the southern border. Mexico is our neighbor, and our friend. We will continue to work cooperatively to improve security on both sides of the border, to confront common problems like drug trafficking and crime, and to reduce illegal immigration.

Another way to help during this period of transition is through state and local law enforcement in our border communities. So we will increase federal funding for state and local authorities assisting the Border Patrol on targeted enforcement missions. And we will give state and local authorities the specialized training they need to help federal officers apprehend and detain illegal immigrants. State and local law enforcement officials are an important resource and they are part of our strategy to secure our border communities.

The steps I have outlined will improve our ability to catch people entering our country illegally. At the same time, we must ensure that every illegal immigrant we catch crossing our southern border is returned home. More than 85 percent of the illegal immigrants we catch crossing the southern border are Mexicans, and most are sent back home within 24 hours. But when we catch illegal immigrants from other countries, it is not as easy to send them home. For many years, the government did not have enough space in our detention facilities to hold them while the legal process unfolded. So most were released back into our society and asked to return for a court date. When the date arrived, the vast majority did not show up. This practice, called "catch and release," is unacceptable and we will end it.

We are taking several important steps to meet this goal. We have expanded the number of beds in our detention facilities, and we will continue to add more. We have expedited the legal process to cut the average deportation time. And we are making it clear to foreign governments that they must accept back their citizens who violate our immigration laws. As a result of these actions, we have ended "catch and release" for illegal immigrants from some countries. And I will ask Congress for additional funding and legal authority, so we can end "catch and release" at the southern border once and for all. When people know that they will be caught and sent home if they enter our country illegally, they will be less likely to try to sneak in.

Second, to secure our border, we must create a temporary worker program. The reality is that there are many people on the other side of our border who will do anything to come to America to work and build a better life. They walk across miles of desert in the summer heat, or hide in the back of 18-wheelers to reach our country. This creates enormous pressure on our border that walls and patrols alone will not stop. To secure the border effectively, we must reduce the numbers of people trying to sneak across.

Therefore, I support a temporary worker program that would create a legal path for foreign workers to enter our country in an orderly way, for a limited period of time. This program would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers for jobs Americans are not doing. Every worker who applies for the program would be required to pass criminal background checks. And temporary workers must return to their home country at the conclusion of their stay.

A temporary worker program would meet the needs of our economy, and it would give honest immigrants a way to provide for their families while respecting the law. A temporary worker program would reduce the appeal of human smugglers and make it less likely that people would risk their lives to cross the border. It would ease the financial burden on state and local governments, by replacing illegal workers with lawful taxpayers. And above all, a temporary worker program would add to our security by making certain we know who is in our country and why they are here.

Third, we need to hold employers to account for the workers they hire. It is against the law to hire someone who is in this country illegally. Yet businesses often cannot verify the legal status of their employees, because of the widespread problem of document fraud. Therefore, comprehensive immigration reform must include a better system for verifying documents and work eligibility. A key part of that system should be a new identification card for every legal foreign worker. This card should use biometric technology, such as digital fingerprints, to make it tamper-proof. A tamper-proof card would help us enforce the law and leave employers with no excuse for violating it. And by making it harder for illegal immigrants to find work in our country, we would discourage people from crossing the border illegally in the first place.

Fourth, we must face the reality that millions of illegal immigrants are already here. They should not be given an automatic path to citizenship. This is amnesty, and I oppose it. Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully and it would invite further waves of illegal immigration.

Some in this country argue that the solution is to deport every illegal immigrant and that any proposal short of this amounts to amnesty. I disagree. It is neither wise nor realistic to round up millions of people, many with deep roots in the United States, and send them across the border. There is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant, and a program of mass deportation. That middle ground recognizes that there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record. I believe that illegal immigrants who have roots in our country and want to stay should have to pay a meaningful penalty for breaking the law to pay their taxes to learn English and to work in a job for a number of years. People who meet these conditions should be able to apply for citizenship but approval would not be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law. What I have just described is not amnesty it is a way for those who have broken the law to pay their debt to society, and demonstrate the character that makes a good citizen.

Fifth, we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot, which has made us one Nation out of many peoples. The success of our country depends upon helping newcomers assimilate into our society, and embrace our common identity as Americans. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for the flag we fly, and an ability to speak and write the English language. English is also the key to unlocking the opportunity of America. English allows newcomers to go from picking crops to opening a grocery from cleaning offices to running offices from a life of low-paying jobs to a diploma, a career, and a home of their own. When immigrants assimilate and advance in our society, they realize their dreams, they renew our spirit and they add to the unity of America.

Tonight, I want to speak directly to members of the House and the Senate: An immigration reform bill needs to be comprehensive, because all elements of this problem must be addressed together or none of them will be solved at all. The House has passed an immigration bill. The Senate should act by the end of this month so we can work out the differences between the two bills, and Congress can pass a comprehensive bill for me to sign into law.

America needs to conduct this debate on immigration in a reasoned and respectful tone. Feelings run deep on this issue and as we work it out, all of us need to keep some things in mind. We cannot build a unified country by inciting people to anger, or playing on anyone's fears, or exploiting the issue of immigration for political gain. We must always remember that real lives will be affected by our debates and decisions, and that every human being has dignity and value no matter what their citizenship papers say.

I know many of you listening tonight have a parent or a grandparent who came here from another country with dreams of a better life. You know what freedom meant to them, and you know that America is a more hopeful country because of their hard work and sacrifice. As President, I have had the opportunity to meet people of many backgrounds, and hear what America means to them. On a visit to Bethesda Naval Hospital, Laura and I met a wounded Marine named Guadalupe Denogean. Master Gunnery Sergeant Denogean came to the United States from Mexico when he was a boy. He spent his summers picking crops with his family, and then he volunteered for the United States Marine Corps as soon as he was able. During the liberation of
Iraq, Master Gunnery Sergeant Denogean was seriously injured. When asked if he had any requests, he made two a promotion for the corporal who helped rescue him and the chance to become an American citizen. And when this brave Marine raised his right hand, and swore an oath to become a citizen of the country he had defended for more than 26 years, I was honored to stand at his side.

We will always be proud to welcome people like Guadalupe Denogean as fellow Americans. Our new immigrants are just what they have always been people willing to risk everything for the dream of freedom. And America remains what she has always been the great hope on the horizon an open door to the future a blessed and promised land. We honor the heritage of all who come here, no matter where they are from, because we trust in our country's genius for making us all Americans, one nation under God. Thank you, and good night.

END

I just wanted to show my anger to President Fox of Mexico. I just head of the possiblity of making small portions of crack cocaine legal. Yeah like having 50%  of the country in poverty isn't bad enough. I think that immigrants start fighting in Mexico. The removal of curropt polliticians needs to be on the forefront for all Mexican personell.

I already despised Fox after he said those stupid ass comments that he is proud of his Mexican people that come and do jobs that not even blacks will do. How dare you say your proud of them leaving the country your the leader of. The reason they leave the country is because you don't provide for them. My hope for the future is that good leaders come to the forefront. I think if the U.S. wants to stop illegal immigration they need to, after securely gaurding the borders, they must make Mexico change the incompotence of their political parties.

Don't get me wrong. I love my motherland. The country gives me a culture and helps in my identity but I wish it would be the type of country that up to 12 million people wouldn't want to leave.

This is a paper I submitted as my final exam for my Enlish 1102 class. Just wanted to let ya'll read it see what you think. Its about the 2 laws currently up in the air. Read if you want.

Immigration has been a problem in the United States since the countrys foundation and currently immigration has become the hot topic in politics. Many people are arguing that illegal immigrants are taking away the jobs of Americans and that their presence is bad for the United States. Their cries have been heard by the House and Senate and in dealing with this issue two bills have been proposed. Those two bills are the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act, H.R. 4437 sponsored by representatives James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Peter King, R-N.Y. and the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005, S.1033/H.R. 2330, sponsored by Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., and Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.. The former bill has been considered to represent the most xenophobic elements of our society (Mukherji) while the latter offers a bone for most every dog in the fight (Newsday). The McCain-Kennedy bill is the best option for the U.S. considering it gives an opportunity for almost everybody living in the U.S., documented or undocumented.

In the past, the U.S. has passed laws to help keep certain groups out. The 1798 Alien & Sedition Act was one of the first laws to place restrictions, not on immigrants but rather to control which individuals could become U.S. Citizens (Magana 13). The first wave of immigrants, Europeans, came through the New York Harbor; it was not until the late twentieth century that most immigrants came from Asia and Latin America. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by Congress to deal with what was being referred as the Chinese problem. This law stopped Chinese immigration and prevented naturalization for Chinese immigrants already here (Magana 14). These were the first of many immigration laws.

The U.S. denied many European immigrants entrance through Quota Limit Laws, which restricted certain groups from entering into the U.S.; instead they entered through the Mexican borders. To deal with this problem the U.S. established the first Border Patrol unit. Since Mexico migration was a back-and-forth phenomenon, Mexicans stayed temporarily for work and then went back home; there migration was not severely restricted (Magana 16). It was not until the Mexican Revolution in 1911 that a large wave of immigrants came to the U.S., nearly a quarter of a million. This wave of migration helped to establish the networks of todays Mexican migration (Magana).

During the Great Depression resentment toward Mexican personnel grew. President Herbert Hoover insisted that Mexican immigrants were taking jobs from Americans and were strongly responsible for the Depression. A single culture was supposedly to blame for the unemployment rate of one-third of an entire nation. A California legislature law made it illegal to hire undocumented Mexicans; an estimated five hundred thousand Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans were repatriated or deported, either voluntarily or by force. In 1933 the Bureau of Immigration and the Bureau of Naturalization were combined to form the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to deal with the ongoing problem that immigration was becoming (Magana 16-17). Many laws have been established to help the INS in its never ending, rarely functional patrol of the US-Mexican border, including the 1930s Operation Wetback, established to deport 3 million Mexicans; the 1980s Immigration Reform and Control Act, to control undocumented immigrants and punish employers who hired them; and the 1996 Immigration Act, which was created to end social services funded to immigrants, both legal and illegal (Magana 16-17, 21).

Considering that there have been many provisions against immigration one would think that immigrants would get the idea that they are not wanted, but demand drives supply. Every time that an immigration law is passed, there is eventually another need for cheap labor. When the stock market crashed in 29 it caused resentment towards Mexican immigrants and led to the forced deportation of the early 30s, immediately following the U.S.s entrance in World War II the demand for [cheap] labor skyrocketed and Mexico once again became [the] source (Gonzalez 21). This demand helped in the creation of the Bracero Accord, a U.S. and Mexican government program for temporary work, which was intended to be a wartime institution but lasted until 1964. This is the constant nature of the U.S.s attitude toward immigrants. They are wanted when they can be used but they are told to go home when they are no longer needed.

The two current bills follow this recurring theme. The Sensenbrenner-King bill that has passed in the House of Representatives wants to build a wall along the Mexican border and make felons of the 12 million [illegal aliens], while the McCain-Kennedy bill that is floating in the Senate wants to give the 12 million a path to citizenship and allow hundreds of thousands more to enter the country as legal guest workers (Newsday). The Sensenbrenner-King bill has caused demonstrations of a magnitude not seen before, with over half a million protestors swarm[ing] the streets demonstrating against [the] new anti-immigration bills (Mukherji). The Sensenbrenner-King bill, or H.R. 4437, wants to penalize and make felons of people who just want to work and help provide for their family. They do not come to take jobs away or cause trouble, instead they give up their life savings to [smugglers] for a chance to wash dishes and [instead] are treated like sub-human (Mukherji).

Most of the push for this law is derived by the false notion that immigrants are taking more than they are giving. According to the INS, undocumented immigrants cost the taxpayer $45 billion annually but another study by the Urban Institute and American Immigration Lawyers Association conclude that immigrants, documented and undocumented, bring an estimated benefit of $330 billion back into the economy, $240 billion from yearly estimated earnings and $90 billion from back-taxes (Kim, 54). The benefits could be more for the U.S. because the truth is that not all undocumented workers pay taxes or better yet, are not able to pay taxes. Michele Waslin, National Council of La Razas director of immigration-policy said that those who do file taxes do it by working under fake social security numbers and though they dont get any benefits, they still have income tax taken out of their paychecks (Kim 54).

Another untrue concept in the immigration issue is that illegal immigrants are a problem to the social welfare of the U.S. Presidential hopeful Pete Wilson believed in this notion when he said The illegal immigrants are coming, and that means crime, more welfare mothers and lotsa spicy food! (Magana 6). Despite this ignorant notion some people do believe this idea. However, in a publication by the American Journal of Public Health it was reported that insurers and patients averaged $1,139 per immigrant compared to $2,564 for non-immigrants [and] the only case where immigrants healthcare cost were actually higher was in children emergency visits . . . $45 versus $18 (Kim, 56). The reason why emergency room sought aid is higher for immigrants are because those seeking aid are not eligible to receive health insurance. Actually, 17.3 percent of immigrants [have] public insurance such as Medicare and Medicaid, compared [to] 15 percent of native-born citizens, meaning many immigrants are actually helping to subsidize care for the rest, as concluded by Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, an author of the study. The truth of the matter is that immigration helps out the country; immigrant flow has always been accompanied by economic growth and job creation (Stah). Immigration does not seem to cause a rise in unemployment (Magana, 7) since competition for lower-wage jobs is from immigrants themselves . . . recent immigrants [versus] immigrants who have been here for a longer duration (Kim 55).

The Sensenbrenner-King bill, H.R. 4437, has flaws but the biggest flaw with the proposal is that it is unrealistic. Unlike the McCain-Kennedy bill it does not offer a good solution to dealing with the 12 million undocumented immigrants already here. H.R. 4437 wishes to make it a federal crime to be here illegally, where 12 million undocumented civilians would be deported or jailed. A major deportation would cause more damage than good making America a totalitarian, security state, not the free nation of immigrants that it is (Newsday). What the McCain-Kennedy bill proposes is giving those undocumented immigrants a chance at citizenship. An 11 year process with temporary status for six years, [where they can] show a work history, pay a $2,000 fine [and then] pass security checks, learn English and pay all back taxes (Newsday). It is not amnesty but the end [of the] hypocrisy of unenforceable laws of the past (Newsday).

The biggest and most important problem with immigration is border control. In order to deal with the sinking boat you must first stop the leak. That is what the lack of border control is, a leak of vast proportions. It has been agreed by many that border control is what needs to solved first. As Sen. Saxby Chambliss said [The] top priority in this immigration debate is to provide for real and comprehensive border security (Wooten A11). The Sensenbrenner-King bill proposes building a 700 mile long fence along the Mexican-American border. While bricks, mortar and concertina wire [may] be an undeniable deterrent . . . the stream of those chasing a better life is like a powerful river, where one path is blocked another will be found (Newsday). As for fighting terrorism, walling up the U.S. would be like playing a football game in which the home team plays all four quarters defending its own 1-yard line (Stah). Considering that the U.S. failed in stopping the September 11th terrorist from going through a 3-foot wide metal detector a 19,000 mile wall would not be too effective (Stah). There is a need for the vast array of technology that we have at our disposal to be used. The McCain-Kennedy bill envisions a virtual wall of cameras, motion sensors and unmanned drone aircrafts [in sync] with border patrol officers (Newsday). U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson noted that an unmanned aerial surveillance vehicle has a stretch of the border secure (Wooten A11) because it keeps watch for 24/7. That is worth the possible half a million dollars that it would cost.

I personally believe that the United States offers so much opportunity that it is only natural that many would travel through dangerous deserts for the possibility at a piece of the American Pie. I understand why there are so many illegal aliens in the U.S. Living in a third-world country and having the richest and most prosperous nation next door is an amazing temptation that is hard to resist. The best option for the U.S. is the McCain-Kennedy bill. The Sensenbrenner-King bill, as president of the Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana, Max Montesino, said bundles together terrorist and immigrants, immigrants who are making an economic contribution to society (Lee). The McCain Kennedy bill gives Hispanic the opportunity for immigrants to be able to work without fear as well as a clear answer to the border problem. It is something that is worth doing.

Just wanted everyone to know that I am in support of all my brown brothers and sisters who have to cross sometimes dangerous terrains to get here. I regret that today, May 1st the Day without Immigrants, I didn't go to the protest. I think that people like myself, born of an illegal immigrant, have to step up and fight for them. This is our fight, we must speak out for them.

It is sad to say that this is where Hispanics get to step up. I think its similiar to the Civil Rights Movement, where they are fighting to be heard. Many black leaders said that this is incorrect because Black americans were fighting against injustice. I counter that with the fact that making 12 Million undocumented workers federal criminals and bundling them up with terrorist is huge injustice.

I plan on blogging more about this issue during the summer. If you feel like reading my rambling or debate with me, feel free to do so.

This is what I am. This is what makes me . . . supposedly.

Your Birthdate: August 19

You are resilient, and no doubt your resilience has already been tested. You've had some difficult experiences in your life, but you are wise from them. Having had to grow up quickly, you tend to discount the advice of others. You tend to be a loner, having learned that the only person you can depend on is yourself. Your strength: Well developed stability and confidence Your weakness: Suspicion of others Your power color: Eggplant Your power symbol: Spade Your power month: October