Washington -- President Bush, in a televised address to the American people, May 15 called for comprehensive immigration reform that is “secure, orderly, and fair,” including a temporary guest worker program and the expansion of the U.S. Border Patrol with U.S. National Guard troops.

The United States is both “a nation of laws” and “a nation of immigrants,” and must enforce its laws and uphold the tradition of immigration “which has strengthened our country in so many ways,” the president said.

Calling for a program that would allow some illegal immigrants in the United States to work legally, Bush acknowledged that “there are many people on the other side of our border who will do anything to come to America to work and build a better life,” including risking their lives.

“This creates enormous pressure on our border that walls and patrols alone will not stop. To secure the border effectively we must reduce the numbers of people trying to sneak across," the president said.

A temporary worker program would allow “honest immigrants” to legally earn wages, reduce the appeal of human smuggling and “make it less likely that people would risk their lives to cross the border.”

The program would not provide an “automatic path to citizenship,” but would recognize the reality that millions of illegal immigrants are already in the United States, Bush said.

The problem of illegal immigration “puts pressure on public schools and hospitals ... strains state and local budgets ... and brings crime to our communities,” Bush said.  However, he added, “we must remember that the vast majority of illegal immigrants are decent people who work hard, support their families, practice their faith, and lead responsible lives.”

The president called for new immigrants to assimilate into American society in the country’s “tradition of the melting pot, which has made us one nation out of many peoples.”  Applicants for citizenship already inside the United States would be asked to pay taxes, to learn the English language, and to work in a job for several years.

“People who meet these conditions should be able to apply for citizenship – but approval would not be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law,” Bush said.

He also called for a tamper-proof identity card for temporary workers, which will help employers verify their legal status and leave them with “no excuse” for violating U.S. law.

Addressing the coming congressional and national debate over immigration, the president asked Americans to remember that “real lives will be affected by our debates and decisions,” and “every human being has dignity and value no matter what their citizenship papers say.”

SUPPORTING BORDER PATROL

As part of the Bush’s plan to secure the border, U.S. National Guard troops would support U.S. Border Patrol personnel.

The guardsmen would not be involved in law enforcement, he emphasized, but would assist by “operating surveillance systems … analyzing intelligence … installing fences and vehicle barriers … building patrol roads … and providing training.”

He said the United States “is not going to militarize the southern border” with Mexico, describing the country as “our neighbor, and our friend.”  He pledged to continue to work cooperatively with the government of President Vicente Fox to improve security on both sides of the border and to confront common problems like drug trafficking and crime, as well as to reduce illegal immigration. 

Bush’s plan aims to increase the number of Border Patrol officers by an additional 6000 members by the end of 2008, and he said that when the new agents are deployed, “we will have more than doubled the size of the Border Patrol during my Presidency.”

White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters May 15 that Bush’s remarks come ahead of U.S. Senate debates over a proposed bill on immigration, with a vote on the legislation expected early the week of May 22.

According to Snow, the president is eager to work with both houses of Congress for effective legislation concerning immigration and border patrol.  (See related article.)

Bush "cares very deeply" about immigration, Snow said, and has "very strong feelings about addressing the issue, addressing it directly, and getting it right."

The White House press secretary said the president is focusing on four areas for immigration reform: border security, interior enforcement, establishing a temporary guest worker program and assimilating newcomers. 

"Part of the American dream has always been to welcome people who are eager to participate in the American experience and also assimilate," Snow said.

Bush also intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona on May 18, the press secretary said.

WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS GIVE FURTHER DETAILS

At a White House briefing shortly before the president’s remarks, White House officials echoed Bush’s statement that the deployment of National Guard troops “is not intended as a militarization of the border,” and cited ongoing cooperation with Mexican law enforcement officials

“This is intended for us to take additional measures to strengthen our border enforcement effort while we continue to ramp up by frankly an impressive level the throughput in training of customs enforcers,” the officials said, speaking on background.

The 6,000 guard members scheduled to be deployed in 2006 would free up approximately 500 border agents “from what otherwise would have been administrative work away from the front line jobs,” and the officials noted that the guard already has had a presence on the U.S.-Mexico border for the past two decades as part of counternarcotics efforts. 

One official described the proposed temporary worker program as “an essential steam valve” that would relieve pressure on U.S. borders. 

“America is a rich country and our neighbors are not as well off.  We’ve got a large supply of labor that is willing to take extraordinary risks today to come into this country and that puts tremendous pressure on the borders,” the official said.

The officials also said that while the president’s plan would focus on the U.S. border with Mexico, the Bush administration is willing to consider the plan along the northern border if some U.S. governors whose states border Canada are interested in participating.  “There’s no … limitation, and we remain open to working with those governors,” they said.

A fact sheet on immigration reform and text of the president’s remarks are available on the White House Web site.

For additional information, see Visas, Passports and Immigration.