| BUSH'S PUSH ON IMMIGRATION |
| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, December 05 2005 |
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| I sat there listening to President George W. Bush attentively. I was eager to hear his new proposal on immigration reform. If you are a frequent reader of my column, you know that immigration is one of the topics I am most passionate about. So I figured if the president is making a special trip to the border in Arizona to give a speech on immigration instead of going back to the White House after spending several days at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday, there must be a really important announcement coming.
But guess what? There was no such announcement. I checked and double-checked. I read previous speeches by Bush on the subject and looked up presentations by members of his administration before Congress. I even referred to my previous columns. But I just could not come up with anything substantial that hadn't been said before.
Bush's "new" immigration proposal isn't new at all. The three-part plan to secure America and reform immigration laws isn't any different from what has already been laid out or even implemented. Most of the plan had already been presented by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Oct. 18 in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The interior repatriation program of Mexican immigrants was already in place. The intention to end the "catch and release" policy of non-Mexicans had already been announced. For almost two years, President Bush has been talking about working with Congress to overhaul immigration laws. And the budget for increasing border security had already been approved.
However, while there might not have been much of a difference in substance, there certainly was in form. His rhetoric is getting tougher. While announcing his immigration policy in January 2004 during the Summit of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico, Bush said: "Many undocumented workers have walked mile after mile, through the heat of the day and the cold of the night. Some have risked their lives" to get into the country. "Workers who seek only to earn a living end up in the shadows of American life ... often abused and exploited," he added.
But on Nov. 28 in Arizona, just north of the Mexican border, it was a different Bush. He didn't show the same compassion for those he once called "poor, hardworking Mexicans." This time around, the president spoke of changing laws to prevent "illegal immigrants" from "sneaking into our country." The abused and exploited immigrants suddenly became the bad guys invading the U.S. from south of the border.
While President Bush's tone changes with his audience, one thing is certain: He has been consistent in his position on immigration. In 2004, he was trying to appeal to Hispanic voters ahead of his re-election campaign, but now he is well aware that he needs to appeal to anti-immigrant conservatives, both voters and legislators, ahead of the 2006 midterm election. The control and image of his party are at stake.
The problem Bush is facing with his double talk is that instead of pleasing people on both sides of the issue, he is further dividing the country. His proposal for a temporary-worker program will create a much-needed labor force and help create orderly entry into the country. Allowing immigrants to remain up to six years and then return to their homeland is unrealistic. There is no way to enforce their return. There should be some type of path to legal status for those who meet the agreed-upon requirements. Both the president and the ultraconservatives need to get over this "amnesty" thing.
I believe President Bush has the right idea and good intentions. Border security is important, as is creating some kind of program that allows immigrant workers to be in the country legally. But unfortunately, we have become a country of extremists, making it difficult to find a middle ground. Hopefully when it comes time to legislate an immigration overhaul -- and it is coming soon -- our leaders will try to find that elusive middle ground.
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