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President
Bush Announces Border Security Plan |
Posted:
05.17.06
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President Bush outlined a plan to slow illegal immigration by
sending troops to the U.S.–Mexican border and creating a
path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Printer-friendly version: PDF
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 In
a nationally televised prime-time address Monday, President Bush
announced a five-point plan that he hopes will decrease illegal
immigration.
The president's plan includes a path to citizenship for illegal
immigrants, deployment of National Guard troops to the U.S.–Mexican
border, and a "guest worker" program that would allow
foreigners to work temporarily in the United States.
His speech follows months of demonstrations by immigrants and
their supporters and heated debate within the halls of Congress.
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Path to citizenship |
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"We must face the reality that millions of illegal immigrants
are already here," President Bush said in his speech.
The Border Patrol arrested nearly 1.2 million Mexicans attempting
to cross the border in 2005. Five hundred thousand are believed
to have evaded the patrol, bringing the total number of illegal
immigrants in the Unites States to between 11.5 and 12 million
people, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
Bush announced a possible path to citizenship that would be a
"middle ground" between mass deportation and automatic
granting of citizenship, neither of which he said would be acceptable.
A citizenship program would be available to illegal immigrants
who have learned English, paid taxes retroactively and worked
in the country for many years.
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Critics protest
amnesty |
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 Critics
like Georgia Republican Representative Tom Price said Bush's citizenship
plan was a form of "amnesty" that should not be tolerated.
"While America is a nation of immigrants, we are also a
nation of laws, and rewarding those who break our laws not only
dishonors the hard work of those who came here legally but does
nothing to fix our current situation," Price said, reported
the Associated Press.
Mr. Bush said the program is not amnesty. "It is way for
those who have broken the law to pay their debt to society, and
demonstrate the character that makes a good citizen."
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National
Guard deployment |
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 President
Bush also called for the deployment of 6,000 Army National Guard
troops to assist Border Patrol agents, who are responsible for
enforcing the law at the 2,000-mile U.S.–Mexican border that
spans California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
Mr. Bush stressed that law enforcement would be left to the patrol
agents, and that "the United States is not going to militarize
the southern border."
The 400,000-member National Guard has been deployed by the president
for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it is usually the state
governors that activate the guard — for state emergencies.
Some military analysts say the guard is short on personnel and
equipment because of participation in wars and should not be used
at the border.
 "If
the administration continues to treat the guard like it's an all-purpose
force, it will end up being useless for any purpose," defense
analyst Loren Thompson told Reuters.
The deployment plan has even received resistance from Mr. Bush's
fellow Republicans, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"I am concerned asking National Guard troops to guard our
nation's border is a Band-aid solution and not the permanent solution
we need," Schwarzenegger said.
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Immigration
reform debate |
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 President
Bush also is at odds with House Republicans, who support much
stricter immigration reform.
The House of Representatives passed a bill in December that opposes
a "guest worker" plan and favors deportation.
The House bill would criminalize illegal status and build a border
fence.
A Senate bill, under consideration now, is closer to Mr. Bush's
vision of immigration reform.
"An immigration reform bill needs to be comprehensive,"
the president advised Congress in his speech, "because all
elements of this problem must be addressed together, or none of
them will be solved at all."
--Compiled
by Adnaan Wasey NewsHour Extra
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American schools and financial aid should be only for legal citizens of the United States. There should be no exceptions to this.
