Thread: Presidents Speech today

Q Hi. My name is Mario --

THE PRESIDENT: Hola -- en Mexico?

Q Monterrey. We went for Christmas, to spend Christmas with my family in Mexico. And, you know, my family, friends, media, President Fox, they're talking about the wall that the United States wants to build across the border with Mexico. My question for you is, what is your opinion or your position about that wall? And, you know, when people ask me how can I justify the answer to build a wall, other than saying, we don't want you here, you know?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, great question.

Q Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: His question is on immigration. Let me talk about immigration. We have an obligation to enforce our borders. (Applause.) Let me just say the full answer. (Laughter.) And we do for a lot of reasons. The main reason is security reasons, seems like to me. And security means more than just a terrorist slipping in. It means drugs. The Mayor was telling me that there's a lot of -- crime around the country -- he's been studying this -- because of drug use. And who knows if they're being smuggled in from Mexico, but drugs do get smuggled in. So it's a security issue. It's more than just the war on terrorist security issue. It's the issue of being able to try to secure the lifestyle of our country from the use of drugs, drug importation, for example. A lot of things get smuggled across. Generally, when you're smuggling something it's against the law. So we have an obligation of enforcing the border. That's what the American people expect.

Now, you mentioned "wall." The intent is to use fencing in some areas, particularly in urban centers, where people have found it easy to cross illegally into the country. It is impractical to build a wall all the way up and down the border. Look, I was the old governor of Texas -- you can't build a wall up and down the entire length of the border of the United States. But you can find those border crossing points in high urban areas and use some construction. You can be able to put berms up in order to prevent people from smuggling people across the border. There are ways to use electronics to be able to help our border patrol agents detect people who are illegally coming into the country. And we're getting -- we're kind of modernizing the border, I guess is the best way to put it.

There is an electronic wall, to a certain extent, on parts of our border where there may be an unmanned drone flying along that radios to a border patrol center that says, hey, we've got people sneaking across illegally; find them. The second aspect -- and so we are going to enforce the border as best as we possibly can; it's our duty.

Secondly, one of the problems we faced is that people get stopped and they get let back out in society, and say, come on back for your hearing. But guess what? They don't come back for the hearing. That's the catch-and-release. And we're trying to change that, particularly for those from Central America who've come up from Central America through Mexico and the United States.

The reason most people come is to work. I always have said that family values do not stop at the Rio Grande River. There are some jobs Americans will not do that are being filled by people who want to feed their families. And that's what's happening. And my attitude about that is, is that when you find a willing worker and a company who can't find an American to do the job, there ought to be a legal way, on a temporary basis, to fill that job.

And so let me finish real quick. It is compassionate -- by the way, it is important to enforce the border. President Fox understands he's got to enforce his border in the south of Mexico, by the way, from people coming up from the south. It is compassionate to recognize why most people are here, and they're here to work.

It also makes sense to take pressure off the border by giving people a legal means on a temporary basis to come here, so they don't have to sneak across. Now, some of you all may be old enough to remember the days of Prohibition. I'm not. (Laughter.) But remember, we illegalized whisky, and guess what? People found all kinds of ways to make it, and to run it. NASCAR got started -- positive thing that came out of all that. (Laughter.)

What you're having here is you've created a -- you've made it illegal for People to come here to work that other Americans won't do, and guess has happened? A horrible industry has grown up. You've got folks right here in Kentucky who are hiring people to do jobs Americans won't do, and you say, show me your papers, and they've been forged, and the employer doesn't know about it.

Part of making sure that immigration policy works is you hold employers to account, but how can you hold them to account when they're being presented with forged documents? A whole forgery industry has grown up around this. We've got good honorable people coming to work to put food on their tables, being stuffed in the back of 18-wheelers. We've got people being smuggled by what they called coyotes into the deserts and asked to walk across. And they're dying because they're trying to get to work, and they're being mistreated. In other words, this underground industry is creating a human condition that any American wouldn't accept. I mean, it's just not right.

And so I think, yes, absolutely enforce the border, but at the same time have a recognition that people are going to come here to work if an American won't do the job, so let's make it legal on a temporary basis. And I mean a temporary workers' card that's tamper proof, that gives the employer satisfaction they're not breaking the law, that says you can come here for a period of time and you go home.

Now, the big issue on this -- besides enforcing the border -- is amnesty. I am against amnesty. And the reason I am against amnesty -- amnesty means automatic citizenship -- I'm against automatic citizenship, in all due respect to others in our country that believe it's a good thing, and I'm against it because all that, in my judgment, would do would cause another 8 million to 11 million people to come here to try to be able to get the same -- hopefully put the pressure on the system to create automatic citizenship. So I think the best solution is the one I just described. And it's an issue that's going to be important for the American people to conduct in a way that honors our values.

We value -- every life is important. We hold everybody up to respect. We should, you know? But we're going to enforce our laws at the same time. And I think you can do both in a compassionate way. I appreciate you asking that question. Thank you. (Applause.)


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases ... 111-7.html

Scuba, did you make this up ?

Originally Posted by LegalUSCitizen

Scuba, did you make this up ?

Why in the world would I do that. Look at the link.

Just kidding, Scub. I did see the link, so I know it's for real. But it sounds so...so...so...I'll think of the right description later !!

ALL I can say right at this moment is.

Me too. The situation is so serious....and THIS is the best he could muster up?

Same for me, Scuba.

Originally Posted by LegalUSCitizen

Just kidding, Scub. I did see the link, so I know it's for real. But it sounds so...so...so...I'll think of the right description later !!

I know what mean, It sounds so so so. I guess either one of us can get it out of our fingers. The sad thing is if you read it more then once, your mind goes spinning and wondering really who does run this country.

I am stunned by Bush's statement comparing illegal immigration to Prohibition. How dare this president mock the integrity of every citizen in America! He should be tried for treason, impeached, and serve hard time for all of his "working hard" sentiments. I am pissed. I want to say F*** You and throw up all over him! TOSS THE BARF BUCKET THIS WAY! He is against America. Remember, "either you are for us, or against us"? HE IS AGAINST US ALL!

In light of recent events, Ms-13's growing danger, Mexico's "demands" and threatening our border patrol agents, the fact that he makes comments like this,
MAKES ME SICK!!!!!!!!!
GOD HELP US ALL...

Originally Posted by Virginiamama

In light of recent events, Ms-13's growing danger, Mexico's "demands" and threatening our border patrol agents, the fact that he makes comments like this,
MAKES ME SICK!!!!!!!!!
GOD HELP US ALL...

AMEN!