http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/artic ... E_ID=52468

Tuesday, October 17, 2006 Morning Edition







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WND AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Snow: Deportation is part of immigration solution
But White House spokesman says there are issues in identifying those here legally

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Posted: October 17, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern



© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com


The government is deporting some illegal aliens even as it works to allow legalization of others already in the United States for extended periods of time – even if illegally, a spokesman for President Bush confirmed yesterday.

Spokesman Tony Snow, responding to a question from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, said that there are deportations, but there also are complications.

Snow was asked why cannot the U.S. deport immigrants who have broken the law to enter the United States, and if it doesn't, isn't that disregarding the laws that the nation already has.

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"Well, number one, the president does not disregard the law. And, number two, when you have the inability to determine who is here illegally or not, it significantly hampers your efforts," Snow said.

"As part of eliminating 'catch-and-release,' we have, in fact, been deporting people," he said.

"Catch-and-release" was a term used to describe the practice of catching various illegal aliens but releasing them without deportation proceedings, often because they haven't committed other crimes, or at least other serious crimes.
U.S.-Mexico border

President Bush earlier said part of the solution to illegal immigration "must" include a way for those already in the United States but without legal authorization to be given that status.

At a recent event at the White House honoring Hispanic Heritage Month, he promised that the law would be enforced, even as the debate on immigration is conducted "in a way that is respectful to our heritage."

"But at the same time, we must remember that in order to secure our borders, in order to make sure we fulfill our heritage, immigration reform must be comprehensive in nature. We must understand that you can't kick 12 million people out of your country; that we must figure out a way to say to those that if you're lawful and if you've contributed to the United States of America, there is a way for you to eventually earn citizenship," he had said.

The issue of "amnesty" to illegals already in the country remains one of the hottest issues in the debate over illegal immigration. There are many who believe that the border laws need to be enforced first, to dry up the gusher of illegal aliens moving into the United States, and then those who are here can be addressed.

One of those groups is Americans for Legal Immigration, where spokesman William Gheen told WND earlier that without a solid enforcement of border access, there's no point in having other laws.

"That's where it comes down," he said. "For any law to be a deterrent, the punishment must be greater than the rewards. Illegal aliens never will be able to pay for illegally immigrating. They must leave. That's the only punishment we have that's greater than the crime."

Bush has backed a Senate plan to give longtime illegal aliens an opportunity for citizenship, but not allow that same open door for short-term arrivals in the United States.

The president's spokesman also was asked about a request by Republican leaders in the House to launch an investigation of Sandy Berger's involvement in the removal of classified documents from the National Archives at this time.

"Members of Congress have their own oversight obligations. They may proceed as they wish," he said. "They are a separate and co-equal branch of government, and I'm not going to tell them what they can and can't do."


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