George W. Bush on Saturday defended his plan to regularise some of the illegal immigrants working in the United States ahead of a political debate that promises to be both passionate and risky for the US president.
"America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws. And our immigration laws are in need of reform," the president said in his weekly radio address that came as the Senate prepared to tackle the prickly immigration issue next week.
Bush, who had made immigration one of his priorities before the September 11, 2001 attacks, plans to regularise the status of illegal workers, who he said "fill jobs that Americans will not do." He explained that his "would create a legal way to match willing foreign workers with willing American employers." By doing so in a mid-term election year, Bush would address the interests of part of his Republican electorate, namely entrepreneurs, who work in agriculture, construction and the services sector and need cheap labour.
He could also reassure some in the moderate camp as well as some Hispanics, a group, which is increasingly courted in the course of election campaigns.
Hispanics are estimated to make up a considerable part of the more than 11 million illegal workers, who live in the United States. However, Bush risks alienating the most conservative members of his own party as they assert their independence in the face of coming elections and the president's plummeting ratings in opinion polls.
Those opposed to regularisation are concerned about national security and have compared regularisation to granting "amnesty" to those who infringe upon American laws.
However, Bush insisted that regularisation would alleviate pressure on US borders. "For the sake of justice and for the sake of border security, I firmly oppose amnesty," the president said.
A former governor of a state that has a common border with Mexico, Bush has repeatedly spoken of the need to put an end to human tragedies created by people crossing the border illegally.
"America does not have to choose between being a welcoming society and being a lawful society," Bush said. "We can be both at the same time."
He acknowledged the debate was shaping up as emotional. Thousands of people, mostly members of the Hispanic community, have taken to the streets in many cities to protest bills that would criminalise illegal immigration as well as plans to build a fence along a significant part of the Mexican border.
"As we debate the immigration issue, we must remember there are hard-working individuals, doing jobs that Americans will not do, who are contributing to the economic vitality of our country," Bush said.
In order to satisfy conservatives, Bush indicated that his reform would also strengthen the fight against illegal immigration.
Under a current reform plan favoured by Bush illegal workers could be allowed to remain in the country for up to six years, if their employer is able to prove that he or she is unable to find Americans to perform the same job.
Comments
Comments are closed.