http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/print/20040107-1.html
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 7, 2004
Fact Sheet: Fair and
Secure Immigration Reform
Today's
Presidential Action
- Today, President
Bush proposed a new temporary worker program to match willing foreign
workers with willing U.S. employers when no Americans can be found to fill
the jobs. The program would be open to new foreign workers, and to the
undocumented men and women currently employed in the U.S. This new program
would allow workers who currently hold jobs to come out of hiding and
participate legally in America's economy while not encouraging further
illegal behavior.
- President Bush also
asked Congress to work with him to achieve significant immigration reform
that protects the homeland by controlling the borders; serves America's
economy by matching a willing worker with a willing employer; promotes
compassion for unprotected workers; provides incentives for temporary
workers to return to their home countries and families; protects the
rights of legal immigrants while not unfairly rewarding those who came
here unlawfully or hope to do so. This legislation must also meet the
Nation's economic needs and live up to the promise and values of America.
Background on Today's
Presidential Action
America is a welcoming
nation, and the hard work and strength of our immigrants have made our
Nation prosperous. Many immigrants and sons and daughters of immigrants have
joined the military to help safeguard the liberty of America. Illegal
immigration, however, creates an underclass of workers, afraid and
vulnerable to exploitation. Current immigration law can also hinder
companies from finding willing workers. The visas now available do not allow
employers to fill jobs in many key sectors of our economy. Workers risk
their lives in dangerous and illegal border crossings and are consigned to
live their lives in the shadows. Without harming the economic security of
Americans, reform of our Nation's immigration laws will create a system that
is fairer, more consistent, and more compassionate.
- Principles of
Immigration Reform -- The
President's proposal is based on several basic principles:
- Protecting the
Homeland by Controlling Our Borders:
The program should link to efforts to control our border through
agreements with countries whose nationals participate in the program. It
must support ongoing efforts to enhance homeland security.
- Serve America's
Economy by Matching a Willing Worker with a Willing Employer:
When no American worker is available and willing to take a job, the
program should provide a labor supply for American employers. It should
do so in a way that is clear, streamlined, and efficient so people can
find jobs and employers can find workers in a timely manner.
- Promoting
Compassion: The program
should grant currently working undocumented aliens a temporary worker
status to prevent exploitation. Participants would be issued a temporary
worker card that will allow them to travel back and forth between their
home and the U.S. without fear of being denied re-entry into America.
- Providing
Incentives for Return to Home Country:
The program will require the return of
temporary workers to their home country after their period of work has
concluded. The legal status granted by this program would last three
years, be renewable, and would have an end. During the temporary work
period, it should allow movement across the U.S. borders so the worker
can maintain roots in their home country.
- Protecting the
Rights of Legal Immigrants:
The program should not connect participation to a green card or
citizenship. However, it should not preclude a participant from
obtaining green card status through the existing process. It should not
permit undocumented workers to gain an advantage over those who have
followed the rules.
- Temporary Worker
Program
President Bush does not
support amnesty because individuals who violate America's laws should not be
rewarded for illegal behavior and because amnesty perpetuates illegal
immigration. The President proposes that the Federal Government offer
temporary worker status to undocumented men and women now employed in the
United States and to those in foreign countries who have been offered
employment here. The workers under temporary status must pay a one-time fee
to register in the program, abide by the rules, and return home after their
period of work expires. There would be an opportunity for renewal. In the
future, only people outside the U.S. may join the temporary worker program,
and there will be an orderly system in place to address the needs of workers
and companies.
- American
Workers Come First: Employers
must make every reasonable effort to find an American to fill a job
before extending job offers to foreign workers.
- Workplace
Enforcement of Immigration Laws:
Enforcement against companies that break the law and hire illegal
workers will increase.
- Economic
Incentives to Return Home:
The U.S. will work with other countries to allow aliens working in the
U.S. to receive credit in their nations' retirement systems and will
support the creation of tax-preferred savings accounts they can collect
when they return to their native countries.
- Fair and
Meaningful Citizenship Process:
Some temporary workers will want to
remain in America and pursue citizenship. They should not receive an
unfair advantage over those who have followed the law, and they will
need to be placed in line for citizenship behind those who are already
in line. Those who choose the path of citizenship will have an
obligation to learn the facts and ideals that have shaped America's
history.
- Reasonable
Annual Increase of Legal Immigrants:
A reasonable increase in the annual
limit of legal immigrants will benefit those who follow the lawful path
to citizenship.
- Benefits to
America of the Temporary Worker Program
- A more prosperous
economy -- for America. The program would allow workers to find jobs and
employers to find workers, quickly and simply.
- A more secure
homeland -- to improve the efficiency and management of all people who
cross our borders. It is in the interest of the Nation, and each
community, to identify foreign visitors and immigrants and make clear
the nature of their intentions.
- A more
compassionate system -- to protect all workers in America with labor
laws, the right to change jobs, fair wages, and a healthy work
environment.
- Homeland Security
and Border Enforcement
- Border Patrol has
increased from a strength of 9,788 on September 11, 2001 to 10,835 on
December 1, 2003. Between ports of entry on the northern border, the
size of the Border Patrol has tripled to more than 1,000 agents. In
addition, the Border Patrol is continuing installation of monitoring
devices along the borders to detect illegal activity.
- The Bush
Administration's Operation Tarmac was launched to investigate businesses
and workers in the secure areas of domestic airports and ensure
immigration law compliance. Since 9/11, DHS has audited 3,640
businesses, examined 259,037 employee records, arrested 1,030
unauthorized workers, and participated in the criminal indictment of 774
individuals.
- President Bush
announced the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS),
an internet-based system that is improving America's ability to track
and monitor foreign students and exchange visitors. Over 870,000
students are registered in SEVIS. Of 285 completed field investigations,
71 aliens were arrested.
This week, the US-VISIT
program began to digitally collect biometric identifiers to record the entry
and exit of aliens who travel into the U.S on a visa. Together with the
standard information, this new program will confirm compliance with visa
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