Bush Proposes Adjusted Illegal Immigrant Work Status

President Bush proposed via a radio address on January 10, 2004, just days before meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox, a plan to allow about eight million illegal immigrants to work legally in the U.S. for up to three years, basically supplying the manpower for the kinds of work and money most American citizens are not willing to take. Such a policy, he believes, will strengthen the economy.

This adjusted legal status, a proposal that Mr. Fox has been pushing, would allow his citizens to obtain documents to come and go unfettered to work in the U.S.

As we understand it, the illegals who are currently paying Social Security taxes with invalid Social Security numbers, would collect benefits.

As for the mechanics of it, Bush said the programs would ?EUR??,,????'??match willing foreign workers with willing American employers, when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs." How does that work, exactly? Apparently, according to the address, "If an American employer is offering a job that American citizens are not willing to take, we ought to welcome into our country a person who will fill that job."

Terry Wallace, president of Wallace Landscape Associates in Kennett Square, Pa., Told The News Journal of Delaware that it would make life easier for landscape contractors. His company employs Mexican immigrants under a guest worker program for unskilled agricultural laborers.

The Bush plan is a near replica of a bill introduced in July 2003 by Arizona Republican Reps. Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe, and Sen. John McCain. There were at last count seven co-sponsors in the House and one in the Senate.