Bottom-line responses to the President's speech on border control

By Sharon Hughes

Conservatives are not happy with the President's plan for border control as outlined in his speech on Monday evening, May 15, 2006. Moderates spoke of its merits for the most part, while the VP of LaRaza's national organization spoke favorably of his 'comprehensive' proposals. Here are just a couple of highlights from, as well as several bottom-liners following, his speech:

From President's remarks:

• fraudulent ID cards make it difficult for employers in hiring
  
  
• vast majority of illegals are decent people; are a part of American life, but are beyond the reach of the law
  
  
• America can be lawful and welcoming
  
  
• must secure our borders, while being open to trade and lawful immigration
  
  
• immediate step is to use the National Guard to assist border patrol — up to 6,000 for 1 year
  
  
• will increase funding for manpower and technolody by 2008 with 6,000 more Border Patrol
  
  
• Mexico is our friend
  
  
• 85% of illegals entering U.S. are Mexicans which we send back; other 15% we 'catch & release' into our society to appear in court, rather than send back to their countries of origin
  
  
• walls will not stop illegals
  
  
• wants a temporary workers program that will create a legal path to citizenship
  
  
• will match willing workers with willing employers
  
  
• workers will need a criminal background check, to pay taxes, learn english, work at job for years, then can apply for citizenship but 'at the end of the line'
  
  
• need to hold employers accountable
  
  
• institute new ID card for all workers — biometric fingerprint
  
  
• have to face reality millions are already here
  
  
• he opposes amnesty
  
  
• disagress with deporting all illegals back
  
  

Read the full text of President Bush's speech here.

Other information & commentary:

The current Senate bill in regards to citizenship for illegals — if they are here for:

5 years = automatic

2-5 years = on the path

under 2 years = go home

62% of Americans want the borders secured now. Only 38% oppose putting military on the border.

Most commentators following the speech say the additional 6,000 is too small an amount. Bill O'Reilly says the Senate is afraid of:

• Left-wing press
  
  
• Hispanic lobby
  
  
• and that big business does not want border security
  
  

Greta Van Susteren while at the border said:

• the 6,000 would be welcome but are not enough
  
  
• that there is nothing to stop anyone from walking across the border
  
  

Cong. Tom Tancredo said:

• Do not pass anything that resembles the Senate bill
  
  
• the House passes a bill every year, but the Senate votes it down
  
  
• that 'to secure the border we need a worker program' is not true
  
  

Cong. Peter King from NY said:

• 6,000 are not near enough National Guard; in contrast, New York City has 35,000 policemen alone
  
  
• go after the employers, if illegals can't get a job, they'll go home
  
  

See FOX News video and coverage here.

UCLA Professor, Raul Hinojosa and VP of National La Raza Cecilia Munoz both spoke favorably of the President's plan being 'comprehensive,' on FOX News.

It's very worrisome that they liked his speech. Why? consider...

Hinojosa as written up in Business Week:

A former adviser to President Bill Clinton and an early architect of the North American Development Bank, the principal financing institution for the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA), Hinojosa argues immigrants from Mexico and other Latin American countries are the threads that inextricably knit the U.S. and its southern neighbors together — and prop up a labor market desperate for cheap workers.

Indeed, Hinojosa, a fast-talking, pony-tailed graduate of University of Chicago's PhD program, is cashing in on the boom in illegal immigration himself. His startup, No Borders Inc., pedals debit-like cards on which immigrants can store cash, send money home to Mexico, make phone calls, and join medical discount plans

Plus see Michelle Malkin vs. Raul Hinojosa debate on O'Reilly show

La Raza website
How would you bottom line the President's speech?

© Sharon Hughes