Bush unveils immigration plan

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 08, 2004

Bush unveils immigration plan

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US President George W. Bush unveiled Wednesday an immigration reform proposal that would give legal status to foreign workers who obtain jobs in the United States, the first major policy initiative as he geared up for the upcoming election in November.

Saying that the US immigration policy should reflect "common sense and fairness," Bush called on Congress to approve his reformproposal that would allow immigrants to fill jobs that Americans are not filling.

"This program will offer legal status, as temporary workers, tothe millions of undocumented workers now employed in the United States, and to those in foreign countries who seek to participate in the program and have been offered employment here," Bush said in a speech at the White House.

"As a nation that values immigration and depends on immigration,we should have immigration laws that work and make us proud," he said. "Yet today, we do not."

Bush said the current immigrant system forces employers to turnto the illegal labor market for employees and "millions of hard-working men and women condemned to fear and insecurity in a massive, undocumented economy."

"Illegal entry across our borders makes more difficult the urgent task of securing the homeland," Bush said. "The system is not working."

Bush said the legal status granted by the proposed program willlast three years and will be renewable, "but it will have an end." Those who do not remain employed, who violate the rules of the program or who break the law will not be eligible for continued participation and be required to return to their home, he said.

He also ruled out granting a blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants living and working in the United States. "I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship."

Bush also said he would ask Congress to increase the current annual limit of issuing 140,000 Green Cards, or permanent residency. Those who qualify as new "legal temporary worker" can apply for Green Cards.

There are an estimated 10 million undocumented workers in the United States, about half of them from Mexico. The Hispanic population is growing and represent a swing voting bloc that Bush aides see as key to victory. Bush won only 35 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2000 presidential election.

Before his announcement, Bush called Mexican President Vicente Fox to brief him on the proposal. The immigration policy has been a source of frequent tension between the two leaders, who will meet next week when Bush goes to Mexico for a regional summit.

Source: Xinhua

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