Bush renews drive to reform immigration law

Bush renews drive to reform immigration law
By Andrew Ward in Atlanta
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: April 10 2007 03:00 | Last updated: April 10 2007 03:00


President George W. Bush yesterday thrust immigration reform back towards the top of the US political agenda when he announced a fresh push for legislation aimed at resolving the status of the country's estimated 12m illegal immigrants.

Mr Bush vowed to work with Republicans and Democrats to agree bipartisan legislation that would toughen border security while also offering visas to temporary workers and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the US.

Immigration reform is viewed as one of the few policy areas where Mr Bush has a realistic chance of support from the Democratic-controlled Congress but the issue remains deeply divisive for both parties.

Speaking at a border patrol post in Yuma, Arizona, Mr Bush spoke of his "deep conviction" about the need for action on immigration and called for Congress to pass legislation that could be signed into law before the end of this year.

He urged Republicans and Democrats to work together "to find a practical answer that falls between granting automatic citizenship to every illegal immigrant and deporting every illegal immigrant".

Efforts to find consensus have been intensifying, with senior Bush administration officials holding numerous private meetings on Capitol Hill with main figures from both parties.

Mr Bush's visit to the border yesterday was designed to increase momentum behind the process and seek public support for his attempt to tackle one of the thorniest issues in American politics.

He cited evidence that the number of illegal immigrants entering the US had fallen by nearly a third this year because of tougher border security measures, including expanded fencing and increased patrols and surveillance.

By highlighting steps to secure the border, Mr Bush hopes to persuade Republicans to support measures making it easier for immigrants to enter the country legally.

"If you've got people coming here to do jobs that Americans aren't doing we need to find a way for them to do so on a legal basis for a temporary period of time," he said.

Mr Bush said illegal immigrants who had been in the US for a number of years should be allowed to apply for citizenship but insisted there would be no automatic amnesty.

"People who meet a reasonable number of conditions and pay a penalty should be able to apply for citizenship but approval would not be automatic and they would need to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law," he said.

Many Democrats in Congress view immigration reform as an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to produce workable legislation and forge compromise with Republicans.

The Democratic leadership is also under pressure from Hispanic supporters to deliver a bill that gives undocumented immigrants a chance to become legal.

But support for reform is by no means universal within the party, with many Democratic House representatives wary of the strong anti-immigration sentiment among many blue-collar voters.

A large portion of the Republican party is also fiercely opposed to any policy that could be construed as a loosening of immigration laws.

Supporters of reform fear that the concessions needed to secure Republican support will make the legislation too restrictive - deterring immigrants from seeking legal status.

Draft plans under discussion between the White House and Congress would reportedly require illegal immigrants to pay a $3,500 penalty to gain a temporary visa and $10,000 for permanent residence.