drunkturkey
01-07-2004, 01:21 PM
Ok, for all of you who jumped all over Gray Davis when he made it legal for Illegal Immigrants to get Drivers Licenses in CA, you should be as upset and up in arms about this than you were for that. This is a Federal mandate, that will affect all of the United states, and not just CA.
The only good to come out of this is that these immigrant workers will make at least the minimum wage (good for them!), and that the employers will pay the social security tax. Of course, it will also legalize millions of people that will work for less than you and have the potential to take more US jobs. See the article below...
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Bush Proposing Immigration Reform for Millions
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Bush Proposing Immigration Reform for MillionsJan 6, 9:12 PM (ET)
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Looking to draw more Hispanics behind his re-election bid, President Bush on Wednesday will propose a temporary worker program to help millions of immigrants work legally in the United States, officials said.
Facing a possibly close election next November, Bush is reviving an issue put on hold when the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks raised American worries about terrorists slipping across U.S. borders and prompted tighter control of foreigners entering and living in the country.
Bush was to lay out the plan in a 2:45 p.m. EST (1945 GMT) speech on Wednesday from the White House East Room. He will outline broad principles and leave details to be negotiated with Congress.
He will discuss the plan next Monday with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who has been pressuring Bush for U.S. immigration reform.
Under his plan, illegal immigrants in the United States would be able to gain legal status for an initial three-year period if they can prove they have jobs, senior Bush administration officials said. Estimates on the number of illegals range from 8 million up to 14 million.
They would have permission to leave the country and come back as needed, and would be able to renew their three-year visas for a number of times to be negotiated with Congress, the officials said.
Officials insisted this did not amount to a blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants living in the United States and that having a job under the temporary worker program would not provide any additional advantage for obtaining permanent residency status.
"We believe that this is an attractive program which will reduce the number of illegals here," said one official who briefed reporters in a conference call.
In addition, those outside the country wanting to work in the United States would be able to sign up for jobs if they exist. Employers would first have to show the jobs cannot be filled by Americans, who increasingly shun the types of menial labor jobs that immigrants take.
'POLITICAL POSITIONING'
Bush's plan raised the possibility of a new flood of illegal immigrants crossing the border in search of a job before Congress approves of any legislation, so that they would be eligible for the three-year program.
Officials played down this possibility, saying border controls were much stronger in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. More than 400 people died over the past year trying to cross into the United States, and "coyote" smugglers command prices of $1,500 to $5,000 to ferret illegals in.
The goal is to end the "underground economy" that illegals operate in. Employers would have to pay them the minimum wage and their Social Security taxes.
The officials did not make clear what would happen to the children or other family members of the illegal immigrants who are living in the United States with the employed person.
If implemented, the plan could lead to the biggest change in U.S. immigration law since 1986 legislation giving legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, many of them smuggled across the Mexican border.
How long it would take to negotiate the legislation was unclear. "Who knows?" said senior official.
Bush's re-election team would like to increase Hispanic support for a second term for the president, particularly in states where they could tip the balance in his favor, such as Florida and California.
Hispanic organizations said it was about time Bush addressed the issue after campaigning in 2000 for immigration reform.
"We fear this is political positioning and we really want to see some sincere policy outcomes and see something that really helps the immigrant community and not just the Bush campaign," said Michele Waslin, spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza.
Conservatives were worried. Rep. Thomas Tancredo, a Colorado Republican who leads the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, a group of 70 legislators that argues for more restrictions, said an amnesty of any kind was a "step backwards."
But supporters of immigration reform said something had to be done. "We have 10.5 million illegal workers in the United States right now. If they went home, we'd have to shut down the country," said U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue.
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http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/122115|top|01-06-2004%3A%3A21%3A32|reuters.html
The only good to come out of this is that these immigrant workers will make at least the minimum wage (good for them!), and that the employers will pay the social security tax. Of course, it will also legalize millions of people that will work for less than you and have the potential to take more US jobs. See the article below...
---
Bush Proposing Immigration Reform for Millions
Email this story
Bush Proposing Immigration Reform for MillionsJan 6, 9:12 PM (ET)
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Looking to draw more Hispanics behind his re-election bid, President Bush on Wednesday will propose a temporary worker program to help millions of immigrants work legally in the United States, officials said.
Facing a possibly close election next November, Bush is reviving an issue put on hold when the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks raised American worries about terrorists slipping across U.S. borders and prompted tighter control of foreigners entering and living in the country.
Bush was to lay out the plan in a 2:45 p.m. EST (1945 GMT) speech on Wednesday from the White House East Room. He will outline broad principles and leave details to be negotiated with Congress.
He will discuss the plan next Monday with Mexican President Vicente Fox, who has been pressuring Bush for U.S. immigration reform.
Under his plan, illegal immigrants in the United States would be able to gain legal status for an initial three-year period if they can prove they have jobs, senior Bush administration officials said. Estimates on the number of illegals range from 8 million up to 14 million.
They would have permission to leave the country and come back as needed, and would be able to renew their three-year visas for a number of times to be negotiated with Congress, the officials said.
Officials insisted this did not amount to a blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants living in the United States and that having a job under the temporary worker program would not provide any additional advantage for obtaining permanent residency status.
"We believe that this is an attractive program which will reduce the number of illegals here," said one official who briefed reporters in a conference call.
In addition, those outside the country wanting to work in the United States would be able to sign up for jobs if they exist. Employers would first have to show the jobs cannot be filled by Americans, who increasingly shun the types of menial labor jobs that immigrants take.
'POLITICAL POSITIONING'
Bush's plan raised the possibility of a new flood of illegal immigrants crossing the border in search of a job before Congress approves of any legislation, so that they would be eligible for the three-year program.
Officials played down this possibility, saying border controls were much stronger in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. More than 400 people died over the past year trying to cross into the United States, and "coyote" smugglers command prices of $1,500 to $5,000 to ferret illegals in.
The goal is to end the "underground economy" that illegals operate in. Employers would have to pay them the minimum wage and their Social Security taxes.
The officials did not make clear what would happen to the children or other family members of the illegal immigrants who are living in the United States with the employed person.
If implemented, the plan could lead to the biggest change in U.S. immigration law since 1986 legislation giving legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, many of them smuggled across the Mexican border.
How long it would take to negotiate the legislation was unclear. "Who knows?" said senior official.
Bush's re-election team would like to increase Hispanic support for a second term for the president, particularly in states where they could tip the balance in his favor, such as Florida and California.
Hispanic organizations said it was about time Bush addressed the issue after campaigning in 2000 for immigration reform.
"We fear this is political positioning and we really want to see some sincere policy outcomes and see something that really helps the immigrant community and not just the Bush campaign," said Michele Waslin, spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza.
Conservatives were worried. Rep. Thomas Tancredo, a Colorado Republican who leads the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, a group of 70 legislators that argues for more restrictions, said an amnesty of any kind was a "step backwards."
But supporters of immigration reform said something had to be done. "We have 10.5 million illegal workers in the United States right now. If they went home, we'd have to shut down the country," said U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue.
---
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/122115|top|01-06-2004%3A%3A21%3A32|reuters.html