McCain: He urges path to legal status

By Peter Hecht


Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain joins Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at a global competitiveness roundtable of California technology executives Thursday in Union City. Both McCain and Schwarzenegger called for a comprehensive immigration program.

UNION CITY – Arizona Sen. John McCain faced withering criticism from conservatives in Republican presidential primaries for backing a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

But Thursday, McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, joined Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in calling for an immigration plan including visas to bring employees to California’s Silicon Valley and the state’s agricultural fields.

McCain’s broad immigration pitch – coming at a global competitiveness roundtable of California technology executives – stood out from a far more cautious tone he had adopted earlier in the primary season.

Asked by Silicon Valley panelists what he would do to grant more visas for skilled technology workers, McCain pointedly advocated the comprehensive immigration legislation he had backed with Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy in Congress.

While calling Thursday for protecting America’s borders and national security and punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants, McCain advocated a humane approach that treats illegal workers as “God’s children.â€