At the start of 2004, President Bush stated that U.S. immigration policy was imperfect and that it was in need of reform. He promised to make changes and consented to introduce the so-called guest workers program, which was supposed to benefit immigrants. He promised and promises was all he gave.
In his speech to the nation, he emphasized how important immigrants are for the U.S. economy. He appreciated their efforts, hard work, and contribution to the economy. Being aware of the existence of almost 10 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, he said he would do everything he could to change their vulnerable status. He promised to introduce a program which would give illegal immigrants temporary legal status and help them to come out from the underground. The truth is that no action follows those beautiful words.
It’s now or never
One could claim that exactly the opposite is happening. Instead of improving, the situation is getting worse. According to immigrant groups, the Bush administration disregarded proposed bills beneficial to undocumented immigrants that have sat in Congress for a long time. For example, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act – it seeks to clear up federal barriers to legalize undocumented immigrant children born in the United States who are in school –got stuck on [Senate Majority Leader] Bill Frist's desk. Other bills include AgJOBS, which would give legal status to agriculture workers if they continue to work in agriculture for a certain period, and the Safe Orderly Legal Visa Enforcement Act of 2004 (SOLVE).
Immigration attorneys and activists claim that if nothing gets done before the presidential election, chances are slim that anything will change after the elections. According to many politicians, Bush's promises for immigration reform since January were just a way to win the Latino vote.
More harm
Meanwhile, deportations and airport arrests are taking place. In addition, the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act (CLEAR) is being worked on, which would oblige police and federal agencies to exchange data about the immigration status of individuals.
The net result of President Bush's reform proposal was a massive wave of illegal immigration; many misunderstood his proposals and took them as a promise for amnesty. According to a report by the border patrol, almost every person who walked across the desert and was caught trying to enter illegally into the United States, claimed they were trying to take advantage of "Bush's amnesty."
This isn't a solution
"We are happy that President Bush noticed the problem and finally voiced his opinion on the issue of immigrants," said Margie McHugh from New York Immigration Coalition, during a press conference soon after Bush made his proposals public. “However, what he offered is unacceptable. This is not what we are fighting for. The President's proposal is not a solution to the problem. Bush simply said to the many immigrants living in the United States that they are welcome into the U.S. economy, but not necessarily into American society. This program says: work here, pay taxes and then go back to your own country.”
