Bush border plan draws mixed response

By James Westhead
BBC Washington correspondent

There has been a mixed reaction to President George W Bush's announcement that he plans to send troops to the Mexican border to stop illegal immigrants crossing into the country.

President Bush said the new measures were to regain "full control of the border".

But he insisted there should also be immigration reform to allow illegal workers to apply for citizenship.

The president's impassioned speech, from the Oval office, was his first primetime television address on a domestic issue - a sign of how critical the immigration issue has become.

He told the nation it had "reached a decision time" on immigration, as he set out his proposals.

The question is whether they succeed in bridging the gulf between both sides in the debate - or further alienate them.

'A shot in the arm'

The promise of a big increase in border patrols, as well as hi-tech fences using infra-red cameras and motion sensors by 2008, was intended to reassure conservatives who want concrete steps to stem the flow of illegal workers.

We don't need a military solution to break a political stalemate
Richard Durbin
Democrat senator
As that need is "urgent," President Bush said he would deploy 6,000 troops from the National Guard to give immediate support to border patrols.

The guard would assist by operating surveillance systems, analysing intelligence, installing fences and vehicle barriers, but "not in direct law enforcement," he said.

The measures were quickly welcomed by some leading Republicans, including House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican.

"The decision to send troops is the shot in the arm we need to strengthen our borders and protect our families."

However the president was also hoping to persuade rebellious Republicans that reform should include a temporary worker program giving foreigners the right to work and allowing some of the 12 million illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

He insisted that this would not amount to an amnesty.

"Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully - and it would invite further waves of illegal immigration."

'Word games'

Yet several Republicans were unconvinced.

Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican and leading immigration critic, said he was "very disappointed" by the speech.

"He's playing these word games... which does not do anything to further an honest debate," he said.

"If they are here illegally and you make them here legally, that is an amnesty."

The president also proposed a crackdown on illegal employment practices and potential fraud by creating an identification card system for foreign workers that would include digitised fingerprints.

This was welcomed by anti-immigration republicans like Republican Tom Tancredo, who has led a campaign for tough action, although he too had reservations.

"The card for employers - great idea. All for it. Putting the troops on the border - great idea. All for it.

"But what absolutely bugs me, is when the president starts talking about this false dichotomy... where it's either round up and deport 12 million people or give them amnesty - no, no.

"There is another way to do it. And that is to make sure that they can't get jobs, then millions will go home."

Party show-down?

The speech was welcomed by many on the other side of the immigration debate although some expressed concerns about the use of troops.

Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said: "Soldiers are trained to kill the enemy, and they lack the training to conduct proper law enforcement.

"History has shown the dangers of using the military to engage in domestic law enforcement."

Senator Richard Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said: "We don't need a military solution to break a political stalemate."

Democratic Senator John Kerry warned: "We need a comprehensive answer to immigration that includes tightening border security, but putting another burden on the backs of the National Guard troops who are serving their second tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan isn't the right answer."

As debate gets under way this week in the Senate and then the House of Representatives on immigration legislation, the key question now is whether the president's speech to the people will make any difference.

The close-the-border faction of his own party is unlikely to accept the sop.

They suspect the president's gesture of sending in the troops is but a photo-op political stunt.

They want the border closed, period.

And their political representatives in the House are showing no signs of softening their resistance to both a guest worker plan and a legalisation path for illegal workers already here.

The scene seems set for a Republican party show-down over what is fast becoming one of America's most divisive issues.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/4985136.stm

Published: 2006/05/16 09:03:48 GMT

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