Thread: OR: Bush speech fuels immigration debate

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bush speech fuels immigration debate

Legislators, residents offer different ideas to solve hot-button issue

THELMA GUERRERO
Statesman Journal

January 27, 2007

A first-generation American on his mother's side, Joey Vasquez tunes in every time the topic of immigration reform rears its head.

On Tuesday, he listened closely as President Bush called for congressional passage of immigration reform during his State of the Union address.

Vasquez, 17, who lives in Silverton, reacted to the speech with optimism but stopped short of applauding the president for putting the hot-button issue back on the table.

"So far, it's been a bunch of rigamarole and no action," the Chemeketa Community College student said.

Vazquez is not alone in his sentiments.

Whether they support or oppose the president's proposals, many people in the Salem area are skeptical that much will come of it.

Aeryca Steinbauer, the coordinator of CAUSA, an immigrant-rights coalition in Woodburn, said immigrants and their families have heard it all before.

They "have become sorely disappointed with the lack of follow-through," Steinbauer said.

For Jim Ludwick, the president's immigration provision of the speech was a sign that he cares more about providing big business with cheap labor than about protecting the nation's borders.

"He sold us out," said Ludwick, the president of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, a statewide group opposed to illegal immigration.

During his speech, the president talked about the need for a guest-worker program.

"As a result, these people won't have to try to sneak in, and that will leave border agents free to chase down drug smugglers, and criminals, and terrorists," the president said.

He also touched on the need for reform that opens the door to legalization of noncitizens in the country.

U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., said she supports a limited guest-worker program that would meet U.S. economy demands for certain jobs.

However, "I am opposed to amnesty for illegal aliens," Hooley said.

Instead, she supports a limited earned citizenship program that would give certain undocumented people a chance to work toward temporary resident status.

To qualify, those workers would have to show a work and residency history, have no criminal record, have family ties to this country, pay back taxes and fines, and learn English, Hooley said.

Geoff Stuckart, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the senator supports a program that would require an U.S. employer to demonstrate that they cannot find an American worker to do the job.

"The senator believes that an orderly, trackable system is far preferable to an economy wholly dependent upon illegal migration," Stuckart said, adding that Wyden also supports tougher sanctions, increased fines and incarceration of employers who repeatedly hire illegal immigrants.

As for granting legalization to noncitizens, Stuckart said Wyden prefers a policy that would call for noncitizens to go to the back of the line to wait their turn for a green card -- a five- to eight-year process.

Calls to U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., were not returned.

Attempts to overhaul the nation's immigration laws have stalled in recent years under a Republican-controlled Congress.

With Democrats now the majority in the House and Senate, some experts think the odds of Congress passing an immigration-reform package are better this time.

"It will still be as contentious an issue as it has been in the past," said Mary Pettenger, an assistant professor of political science at Western Oregon University.

"I believe there will be something passed in the near future because the federal government is spending a lot of money on border security trying to keep people out," she added.

Vasquez disagrees.

"Too often, I see these politicians talk a lot but then just sit on the fence," he said. "I think they do that to keep from making enemies of their constituents and losing votes.

"Meanwhile, nothing gets done."

tguerrero@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6815

However, "I am opposed to amnesty for illegal aliens," Hooley said.

Instead, she supports a limited earned citizenship program that would give certain undocumented people a chance to work toward temporary resident status.

To qualify, those workers would have to show a work and residency history, have no criminal record, have family ties to this country, pay back taxes and fines, and learn English, Hooley said.

HUH?
And this rocket scientist expects the American people to believe this?

'Earned Citizenship for ILLEGALS = AMNESTY'