Thread: Bush: Bill is 'best hope' on immigration

Bush: Bill is 'best hope' on immigration

By TOM BAXTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/30/07

Glynco — President Bush, attempting to build support for an immigration reform compromise in a section of the country where skepticism runs high, visited a South Georgia training facility for immigration officers Tuesday and urged Congress to "fix this system now, before it's too late."

"I believe the bill before Congress learns from the mistakes of the past," Bush told an audience of some 2,000 students and instructors at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center here. "If people are interested in fixing a system that's broken, this bill is the best hope to do so."

He touted provisions in the bill that would condition reform on meeting beefed-up border security goals, and said a "new infrastructure," with more Border Patrol agents and high-tech surveillance equipment is already making a difference in curbing illegal immigration.

Taking on critics, largely from his own party, who have denounced the bill as "amnesty" for illegal immigrants, he accused them of having failed to read the legislation they're attacking.

"For the skeptics who say that we're not concerned about border security or workplace enforcement, they need to read the bill," he said. "The bill prioritizes enforcing our laws at the border, and saying to employers, 'We'll hold you to account for employing somebody who's here illegally'."

Critics are "trying to rile up people's emotions" with talk of amnesty, while the bill actually sets tough requirements for gaining citizenship, he said.

His audience, which waited most of a sweltering morning outside the training center to hear the president, gave him a polite but cool response, reserving most of its applause for the beginning and end of the speech.

Bush praised the two Republican senators who accompanied him on the trip: Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Mel Martinez of Florida. Chambliss played a role in negotiating the compromise and has paid the price as Georgia conservatives have roundly criticized him for it. A group led by outspoken illegal immigration opponent D.A. King of Cobb County plans a demonstration Thursday outside Chambliss' Atlanta office.

Georgia and the South in general — where the Latino population, much of it undocumented, has exploded in the past two decades — have been among the most resistant areas of the country to proposals such as the current bill, which calls for providing a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants.

"It takes a lot of courage in the face of some of the criticism in the political world to do what's right, not what's comfortable," Bush said. "And what's right is to fix this system now before it's too late."

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez also made the trip with Bush.

Not appearing with the president was Georgia's other Republican senator, Johnny Isakson, who originated the idea of tying reform to border security goals. His office said he had commitments in Atlanta.

Also absent was Rep. Jack Kingston, the Savannah Republican in whose district Tuesday's event was held. He was on a long-planned congressional trip to Cuba, his office said.

Support for the bill has withered as lawmakers, on their Memorial Day break, have fanned out across the country in recent days. Much of Bush's speech seemed aimed at those in Congress who will likely decide the bill's fate later this summer.

"If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it, you can use it to frighten people. Or you can show leadership and solve this problem once and for all, so the people who wear the uniform in this crowd can do the job we expect them to do," Bush said.

Bush said many Americans are skeptical about the bill because "they don't think the government can fix the problems."

At a nearby mall, shoppers generally said they were open to hearing more about the new attempt at immigration reform — but voiced some of the skepticism Bush spoke of.

Gary Dumais, a retired Navy officer from Seminole, Fla., recalled his own French-Canadian grandparents, who immigrated to the United States, but said he was "particularly troubled" by those who say immigrants should be allowed to stay even if they are here illegally.

"What part of 'illegal' do they not understand?" he asked.

But Virginia Cooper, a Brunswick homemaker, said she would rather have a less-than-perfect bill than none at all, "so they can slow down some of it [immigration]."

Ty Skipper, a 19-year-old who juggles three jobs, including being a "role player" for classes at the law enforcement training center that re-enact different situations in law enforcement, applauded Bush's commitment to strengthening border patrols.

"People who want to come here to have a better life should be able to come in, but not criminals," Skipper said.

In his morning visit, Bush also met with Georgia and Florida officials involved in the effort to contain the wildfires that have clouded the air across the region.

"I've come down to let people know we are concerned about their livelihood." Bush said.


Staff writer Bob Kemper contributed to this article.

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http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/s ... immig.html

"If people are interested in fixing a system that's broken, this bill is the best hope to do so."

Our system is NOT broken!!! It worked FINE UNTIL YOU STOPPED ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAWS!!!
Employers don't even get a slap on the wrist with you... they get a FREE PASS!!!

I know you are use to getting your way ... but GUESS WHAT????????

AMERICA IS WAKING UP!!!!

More lies from Bush. Our best hope on immigration is to kill this bill, push states to enforce the laws like Oklahoma just did, and in 2008 elect someone like Tancredo for President.

Hey Bush you are a lame duck lier with waning influence nobody listens to you any more, we are now listening to the patriotic Presidential candidates. It sounds like he is really getting desperate since this will be his last chance to pass a general amnesty bill.

BUSH IS A LIAR! DEPORT NOW!!!