http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/8206599/detail.html

Sanders Meets With President Bush


SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders met with President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and others Thursday to discuss immigration reform and a guest worker program.

Sanders and the city's deputy chief operating officer for public safety, Jill Olen, arrived in Washington Wednesday to meet with congressional leaders and argue that the city needs homeland security dollars. Sanders was invited to a morning meeting at the White House Thursday.

"We had a great visit," Sanders said after leaving the White House. "There were about 15 of us. We were able to talk about immigration -- issues around that, talk about the homeland security aspect of it, talk about strong borders, but also a guest worker program for people who are already here or want to come here to provide services that San Diego and the United States needs."


Sanders said he supported the concept of a guest worker program because it would increase security in the city.

"From the homeland security aspect, it lets us know who's here," he said.

Sanders was scheduled to return to San Diego Thursday afternoon. Next week, he plans to go to New York to discuss the San Diego's efforts to tackle its financial problems with Wall Street firms and business reporters. He will also return to Washington to press for federal funding for security.

"We deserve to be one of the highest priorities since we have the busiest border crossing in the world and we have the largest military concentration in the world," Sanders said.