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'Soft' Bush vows to expel all illegal migrants
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Issue
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| Contributor | RP |
| Last Edited | RP Oct 20, 2005 12:56pm |
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| Category | Speech |
| Media | Newspaper - Daily Telegraph |
| News Date | Thursday, October 20, 2005 06:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | President George W Bush has promised to expel millions of illegal immigrants as part of a major new initiative to end fierce criticism from fellow Republicans that he is too soft on border security.
Mr Bush told senior congressmen and intelligence officers in the White House: "Our goal is clear: to return every single illegal entrant, with no exceptions." His words amounted to the toughest pledge on immigration from the Bush administration to date.
But while Mr Bush used tough language on enforcement, he again asked Congress to back his stalled plans to legalise the status of many of the migrants.
This would give large numbers of temporary visas to Hispanic workers, allowing them to stay in the US while filling gaping holes in the booming labour market.
"Enforcement cannot work unless it is part of a larger, comprehensive immigration reform programme," Mr Bush said. "If an employer has a job that no American is willing to take, we need to find a way to fill that demand."
Using language that turns off many Republicans and would surprise those Europeans who see Mr Bush as an instinctive Right-winger, he said: "You see, you got people sneaking into our country to work. They want to provide for their families. Family values do not stop at the Rio Grande river. People are coming to put food on the table."
Decriminalising the process would ease the crush and allow law enforcement officers to concentrate on the real issues, Mr Bush said. |
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