The Bush Speech on Immigration

Lee Ellis

President Bush gave an excellent speech about immigration reforms. I liked the fact that he covered all the bases and proved that his plan was not amnesty. With the current wars being able to be operated with fewer troops, thanks to robots, drones, AWACS and other forms of modern technology, there is no reason why this will not work in the same manner on our borders.

He also asked the people to help immigrants in assimilating and that all people in America should learn to speak and use English as part of this. I'm sorry that he did not order English to become the official language of the USA for this reason. However, all stores like Target, Wal-Mart and the others can help by taking down all their duplicate signs in Spanish. People can only learn the language if they are forced to be immersed in it!

While I have always been a part of the “Right Wing Conspiracy,” I was disappointed in both Peter King and Tom Tancredo who, after hearing the President’s speech, were still calling his plan an “amnesty.”

President Bush clearly said that he believes illegal immigrants who want to stay should have to pay a meaningful penalty for breaking the law, pay their taxes, learn English, and work in a job for a number of years.

The President also believes that there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently - and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record. Those who meet these conditions should be able to apply for citizenship - but approval will NOT be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law. Further, all applicants will have to have criminal background checks. Now what part of this do Messrs Tancredo and King not understand?

Sure, I hear you saying, “We tried this back in the 1980's and again about six years ago.” Well, this is not the same plan that gave illegals amnesty before. Congress had not had the laws enforced, and also, employers of illegals were never fined or punished in any way. Many, small businesses had a problem determining who was legal or illegal due to counterfeiting gangs selling fake Social Security cards, green cards and driver’s licenses! Also there were no immediate computer data bases available to properly determine whether a document or card was genuine.

The President wants to stop this by having ID cards using biometric technology such as digital fingerprints, photos, etc. making them tamper proof. It is unbelievable but there are still some states that have not been allowed to issue driver’s licenses that have photos on them for better identification. Better identification cards do not--- I repeat do NOT--- violate our civil liberties; they reinforce them!

Another problem that was never enforced was the ability to catch people sneaking into our country and detaining them. Because our jails were full, or due to deportation paper work, we tended to release these illegals. Some were even released and told to report to court the next day. This sucker play was called the “Catch & Release” plan. As John Stossel always likes to say, “Give me a break!” Congress needs to agree with President Bush who has asked it to end this plan by creating the funding and giving him the legal authority to do so. We also need to add more beds to the detention centers.

There are still some bleeding hearts and members of La Raza who decry our sending the military to the border. They are already complaining that our soldiers will be gunning down these poor souls who just want to do better for their families. Well, the National Guard is NOT going there to do this; they are simply going to do the work on fences, engineering and spotting that is now taking the time of our Border Patrol. As verified by David Aguilar, Chief of the Border Patrol, the Guard will allow more of his men to do the much needed field work of apprehending the violators of our borders, including catching drug traffickers and terrorists.

Congressional members must come from the extreme ends of both sides of the political fence and meet, not on the top of the fence where they can lose their balance, but on the right side where the President and his majority party operate. Congress has to learn not to just pass legislation but to give law enforcement, federal and state, the ability and funding to enforce all laws designed to protect America.

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Lee Ellis is a retired journalist and narrator, formerly with both CBS and Gannett (USA Weekend). He was also a combat veteran of WWII, having fought in the South Pacific invasions. He had the pleasure of interviewing Ronald Reagan as an actor and then later working to help him become Governor of California. At the age of 80, he is keeping busy writing and doing free lance narrations for radio and television. He is an active member of Rotary and the VFW.

indiolee@dc.rr.com