Increase funding to state and federal officials.
Every illegal immigrant caught crossing the border from this point on must be sent home. Most are sent home in 24 hours. It's not as easy to send those from other countries home. Not enough detention space. Most get bond pending court date and then don't show up. Catch and release will end. He proposes:
More detention beds.
Cut average deportation time.
Foreign governments must take back its citizens.
Comment: We have to get off the train off the enforcement track. We cannot jail ourselves out of our perceived immigration problem.
2. Temporary worker problem.
Legal path for workers. But every worker would have to return home after their temporary period before getting citizenship.
Comment: Unacceptable. We cannot allow families to be broken up by sending some back home to wait for a legal opportunity to return.
3. Holding employers accountable. New high tech ID card for every immigrant worker coming in. Bio and digital card.
Comment: Just like all Bush's security proposals. They don't make us safer, only less free.
4. No automatic path to citizenship for those already here. He opposes amnesty. His program is not amnesty. But it's not fair to root up all these people. Middle ground: Differentiate by time they have been in this country. There will be a penalty for breaking law, the immigrants will have to pay taxes, learn English, hold job for certain number years and wait in line behind those who follow the rules.
Comment: Learn English to get citizenship? Completely off the wall.
5. English has to be important. And? I didn't get the proposal part of this section of his speech.
My conclusion: This plan will outrage everyone, and the Senate will probably cave in and give him what he wants. Your compromising government in action.
Better no immigration reform bill than a bad one. Bush's proposal stinks. You don't have to be an immigrant to weigh in with your Senators and demand that the final bill must be humane and provide equality and a clear path to citizenship. As I've said before, the reforms we need are ones which will:
* Provide the opportunity for undocumented immigrants to legalize their status
* Eliminate criminal sanctions for immigration violations
* Expand avenues for legal immigration and support family reunification
* Provide access and options for permanent residency and citizenship
* Strengthen labor protections and their enforcement for all workers, both native and foreign born
* End the employer sanctions program
* End border and immigration enforcement abuses
Legalization should be immediate and without conditions. There should be no criminalization and no border walls. There must be protection of labor rights and civil liberties.
Remind your Senators that in November, 1 million new immigrant voters will remember their position on immigration reform when they go to the polls for the first time. Their votes will count.