Bush promises to get tough on illegal immigrants

The president also is pushing an idea that would let many obtain legal status.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
TUCSON, Ariz. -- President Bush vowed Monday to get tough on illegal immigration, promising stricter laws, better border enforcement and swift deportation for anyone caught sneaking into the country.
Speaking near one of the busiest illegal crossing points on the nation's 2,000-mile border with Mexico, Bush renewed his push for a temporary-worker program as part of a larger effort to stem the flow of undocumented immigrants.
"Our responsibility is clear: We're going to protect the border," the president told a supportive invitation-only crowd at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. "We want to make clear that when people violate our immigration laws, they are going to be sent home -- and they need to stay at home."
Bush delivered the get-tough talk at a time when polls show increasing frustration over illegal immigration, especially in the Southwest. Angry calls about the seemingly endless flow of illegal immigrants have become a staple of conservative talk radio.
Some of the president's conservative supporters were appalled by his earlier emphasis on a temporary-worker program that would let many of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in this country obtain legal status. The proposal has stalled in Congress, in large part because of opposition from Bush's fellow Republicans.
With his job-approval ratings at the lowest point of his presidency, Bush can ill afford to offend social conservatives. His new emphasis on curbing illegal immigration is part of a bid to reinvigorate his support base.
But Bush said any comprehensive package should include both tougher enforcement and a temporary-worker program.
About the plan
His plan would let workers stay in the country for up to six years, after which they'd have to return home. Temporary workers wouldn't be on a special track toward citizenship.
The president said the temporary-worker program would "help meet the demands of a growing economy" by giving employers a legal source of workers. He called for a new tamper-proof identification card to help employers detect illegal immigrants.
Anticipating critics, Bush said his proposal wasn't a form of amnesty for illegal workers.
"Rewarding those who have broken the law would encourage others to break the law and keep pressure on our border. A temporary-worker program, by contrast, would decrease pressure on the border," he said. "For the sake of justice and for the sake of our security, I'm not going to sign any immigration bill that includes amnesty."
The president, who in past speeches has praised illegal immigrants for their contributions to American society, also touched on some of the cultural concerns raised by immigration.
His Arizona audience applauded and cheered when he said immigrants had an obligation "to learn our customs and values," as well as the English language.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., a leader of Republicans in the House of Representatives who are threatening to block any immigration overhaul that includes a guest-worker program, said his group would continue to oppose the program but that Bush was moving in their direction by emphasizing tougher border control.
"I think that we've got him turned 75 percent of the way and we've got to keep nudging," Tancredo said. "There is a lot of stuff in there that I can appreciate and I've waited five years for him to say."
Proposals
The president outlined a series of steps, including:
UAn end to the so-called "catch and release" policy that lets some undocumented workers remain free while waiting for immigration hearings. Bush said the new policy would require additional detention facilities.
UMore use of "interior repatriations," a policy that sends Mexican immigrants back to their homes in the interior of their country rather than leaving them at the border, where they can sneak back into the United States more easily.
USwifter deportation. The president said he'd seek new laws and bureaucratic improvements to reduce the time it takes to send illegal immigrants home. He also pledged to put more pressure on foreign governments to accept returnees.
UBetter use of technology to catch illegal immigrants, including expanded use of surveillance monitors, infrared cameras and unmanned surveillance aircraft.