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June 29, 2006

Bush takes interest in Pence's immigration proposal

By Maureen Groppe
Star Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, whose immigration proposal has come under attack from some fellow conservatives, got a boost from President Bush on Wednesday.


Bush, who favors combining a guest-worker program with increased border security, invited Pence to the Oval Office to learn more about the Indiana Republican's version and to thank him for jumping into an issue that has divided the GOP.

"He said that he wanted me to be encouraged in what I was doing, whether he agreed with every element or not," Pence said.
He has proposed a temporary guest-worker program with a twist -- immigrants would be required to leave the country before they could enroll.

A White House spokesman said the approximately 40-minute meeting, which was at Bush's request, shows "that active conversations on immigration reform are very much under way."

"The president was in a listening mode," said spokesman Alex Conant.
Republicans are divided whether to pass an immigration bill that focuses solely on preventing immigrants from entering the country illegally and getting jobs. The House passed a bill along those lines, but the Senate's version combines border security with a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for some of the estimated 12 million undocumented workers in the U.S.

Many Republicans think the Senate bill would reward people for breaking the law.

Pence, the leader of an influential group of House conservatives, suggested his own plan last month that he thinks gets around the amnesty issue by requiring immigrants to leave the country before they can apply for legal residency.
reporter Maureen Groppe at (202) 906-8118 or at mgroppe@gns.gannett.com