It’s the illegality, stupid
Writing by treason on Monday, 28 of November , 2005 at 6:25 pm
The following is essentially the Reader’s Digest version of the President’s speech today in Tucson:
“Securing our border is essential to securing the homeland…I have a solemn duty, and so do the members of the United States Congress, to protect our nation, our Constitution, and our laws. Our border and immigration security officers devote themselves to those same missions every single day.
America has always been a compassionate nation that values the newcomer and takes great pride in our immigrant heritage; yet we’re also a nation built on the rule of law, and those who enter the country illegally violate the law. The American people should not have to choose between a welcoming society and a lawful society. We can have both at the same time. And to keep the promise of America, we will enforce the laws of our country.
As a former governor, I know that enforcing the law and the border is especially important to the communities along the border…Illegal immigration is a serious challenge. And our responsibility is clear: We are going to protect the border.
We have a comprehensive strategy to reform our immigration system. We’re going to secure the border by catching those who enter illegally, and hardening the border to prevent illegal crossings. We’re going to strengthen enforcement of our immigration laws within our country. And together with Congress, we’re going to create a temporary worker program that will take pressure off the border, bring workers from out of the shadows, and reject amnesty.
Our strategy for comprehensive immigration reforms begins by securing the border. Now, let me talk to you about a three-part plan. The first part of the plan is to promptly return every illegal entrant we catch at the border, with no exceptions.
The second part of our plan is to strengthen border — to strengthen border enforcement is to correct weak and unnecessary provisions in our immigration laws…We need to address the cycle of endless litigation that clogs our immigration courts and delays justice for immigrants. Congress needs to put an end to this cycle of needless litigation and deliver reforms necessary to help us secure this border.
The third part of our plan to strengthen border enforcement is to stop people from crossing the border illegally in the first place. And we’re increasing manpower. We’re increasing technology and infrastructure across this border. We’re integrating these resources in ways we have never done before.
In some places, the most effective way to secure the border is to construct physical barriers to entry. The legislation I signed last month includes $70 million to install and improve protective infrastructure across this border….In urban areas, we’re expanding fencing to shut down access to human smuggling corridors.
As we work to secure the border, comprehensive immigration reform also requires us to improve enforcement of our laws in the interior of the country. Catching and deporting illegal immigrants along the border is only part of the responsibility. America’s immigration laws apply across all of America, and we will enforce those laws throughout our land. Better interior enforcement begins with better work site enforcement. American businesses have an obligation to abide by the law, and our government has the responsibility to help them do so.
We’re confronting the problem of document fraud, as well. We’ll continue to work to stop document fraud, to make it easier for America’s businesses to comply with our immigration laws…As we enforce our immigration laws, comprehensive immigration reform also requires us to improve those laws by creating a new temporary worker program. This program would create a legal way to match willing foreign workers with willing American employers to fill jobs that Americans will not do. Workers would be able to register for legal status for a fixed period of time, and then be required to go home. This program would help meet the demands of a growing economy, and it would allow honest workers to provide for their families while respecting the law.
This plan would also help us relieve pressure on the border. By creating a legal channel for those who enter America to do an honest day’s labor, we would reduce the number of workers trying to sneak across the border. This would free up law enforcement officials to focus on criminals, drug dealers, terrorists and others that mean to harm us. Our plan would create a tamper-proof identification card for the temporary legal worker, which, of course, would improve work site enforcement.
Listen, there’s a lot of opinions on this proposal — I understand that. But people in this debate must recognize that we will not be able to effectively enforce our immigration laws until we create a temporary worker program. The program that I proposed would not create an automatic path to citizenship, it wouldn’t provide for amnesty — I oppose amnesty. Rewarding those who have broken the law would encourage others to break the law and keep pressure on our border. But for the sake of justice and for the sake of border security, I’m not going to sign an immigration bill that includes amnesty.
See, we have a chance to move beyond the old and tired choices of the immigration debate, and come together on a strategy to enforce our laws, secure our country, and uphold our deepest values.
We make good progress, but you know like I know, there’s a lot more to be done. And we’ve got to continue to work together to get that done, and I’m optimistic that Congress will rise to the occasion. By passing comprehensive immigration reform, we will add to this country’s security, to our prosperity, and to justice.
Our nation has been strengthened by generations of immigrants who became Americans through patience and hard work and assimilation. In this new century, we must continue to welcome immigrants, and to set high standards for those who follow the laws to become a part of our country. Every new citizen of the United States has an obligation to learn our customs and values, including liberty and civic responsibility, equality under God and tolerance for others, and the English language. We will continue to pursue policies that encourage ownership, excellence in education, and give all our citizens a chance to realize the American Dream.”
I hated to edit it because there was actually a lot of good stuff in there, but I figure I pulled out the main points and those all center on the issue of illegality. As someone who has spent the majority of my years in the West and many of those in the Southwest, the border problem is an enormous issue. Some say fences make good neighbors, but others see walls and think of Berlin. Some say a guest worker program won’t work - it’s what caused the recent trouble in France. When jobs dry up, what do you do with all the workers? Amnesty won’t work - it rewards illegal behavior, it’s not fair, and it’s not right.
So what the hell do we do? Thomas Sowell thinks that the problem with the Left is that they want perfect solutions. Since there is no such thing as a perfect solution, nothing is accomplished and the problem worsens as the Left tries to create the solution that never comes. The Right, on the other hand, realizes that everything’s a trade-off. You have to do something to address an issue, whether or not it’s perfect. Just do something and worry about perfect later.
Again, I think of 1776. Congress was trying to draft a document about independence, freedom from England’s ownership. Then someone had to mention the whole slavery thing. Damn. A very good point. But in order to take the first step of this revolution, they had to focus on their independence. They’d have to worry about the slaves’ independence later. It took some time, but it was eventually addressed. Roughly one hundred years more of it existed because they didn’t act; however, if they had gotten stuck on the details of slavery, we’d probably all be slaves today. Like Sowell says, it’s a trade-off and you just have to do the best you can do with what you have.
Bush’s plan is a start. As someone who believes that immigration is one of the things that makes America great, I cannot take an isolationist position. But I cannot see the sense of fighting a war against terrorism when our borders are wide open. Something has to be done and done quickly.
Bush was right to address Social Security, but no one wanted to reform the program, so it will stay as is until it implodes. Immigration has been the same way. Both sides are pandering to special interests and to Hispanic voters. Meanwhile, the problem is more and more out of control.
It leaked recently that there was military personnel patrolling the Mexico-New Mexico border. Results were impressive. But is that the answer? I say get off the stick, implement a plan, and fine tune it later.
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