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A sweeping plan for illegal workers
The president proposed major changes Wednesday that include the ability for illegal immigrants to receive legal status.
HOUSTON
President Bush Wednesday proposed some of the most sweeping changes in immigration policy in almost two decades, calling for an expanded guest-worker program and the ability for millions of undocumented immigrants to receive legal status.
Supporters of the plan - backed by the business community, which has a large appetite for low-wage workers - say it would enhance security by offering the US' 10 million illegal immigrants an incentive to come out of the shadows. That would allow the Homeland Security Department to focus on going after noncitizens who intend harm.
Immigration reform has long been on the nation's policy agenda, but major change is hard to effect, particularly in an election year. Both parties are angling hard for the Latino vote, the fastest-growing segment of the US electorate. But even beyond the political dimension, the president's proposal would face an uphill battle in Congress.
Under the plan, undocumented workers who gained temporary-worker status would enjoy the rights and protections of legal workers. They could also apply for green cards, which convey permanent residency and, potentially, citizenship.
But even immigrant-rights groups are not entirely satisfied. One concern is that if the plan does not greatly expand the number of green cards issued annually, undocumented workers could face an extended wait. If their guest-worker status expired before they received a green card, they would have to leave the country.
"I think it's safe to say there are some politics at play here," says Cecilia Muñoz, vice president for policy at the National Council of La Raza. "But this is not an issue to be playing politics with. We really need a solution." Ms. Muñoz says there are ways to measure whether the White House is serious about immigration reform or is simply angling for the Latino vote. Introducing a bill instead of a proposal and backing other immigration-reform bills in Congress are two of those ways.
Anti-immigration groups criticize the initiative for its potential to hurt US workers. They suggest it wouldn't stop future illegal immigration - and may even encourage it. "From our perspective, American workers have become sacrificial lambs for the Bush reelection campaign," says David Ray, with the Federation for American Immigration Reform in Washington. "We are in the middle of a jobless recovery.... To push for a guest-worker program at a time like this is unfathomable."
The announcement comes five days before Bush meets with Mexican President Vicente Fox in Monterrey, Mexico, at an economic summit. The issue is especially important to Mexico because almost 60 percent of illegal immigrants in the US come from there. Bush was preparing a major initiative on immigration reform in 2001, but after 9/11, had to shelve it.
Inside the homes of millions of undocumented immigrants, the talk isn't about politics, but about the potential for new lives out of the shadows. Rumors about the proposal were circulating even before the media reported it. "Everyone is very excited," says Fernando, an illegal immigrant living in Houston. "It would be perfect for so many of us."
