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Guest worker program needed, Bush official says

Posted on: Tuesday, 18 October 2005, 13:49 CDT

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tougher border security alone will not stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States, administration officials told Congress on Tuesday as they made a case for President Bush's proposed guest worker program.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told the Senate Judiciary Committee that halting illegal immigration required providing a legal way for migrant workers to gain legal temporary employment as well as greater control of the border and enforcement of workplace laws.

"It would be enormously difficult if we were to attempt to control illegal immigration at the border without having some legal avenue to address the fact that there is a high demand for non-U.S. people to come in and perform certain kinds of jobs," Chertoff said.

Each year, more than 1 million undocumented migrants attempt to slip across the rivers and deserts that mark the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border in search of work in the United States. Almost half of them come through Arizona.

Bush's proposed a guest worker program has raised concern among conservative Republicans because some of the estimated 8 million to 12 million undocumented workers already in the country would be able to qualify for the program.

Chertoff and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao told the committee that Bush's plan would give no amnesty to illegal aliens or provide a pathway for those workers to gain permanent residence or citizenship.

"We do not support an automatic pathway to citizenship," Chao said.

ELIMINATING 'CATCH AND RELEASE'

Chertoff said additional border patrol agents approved by Congress would help the agency. He said he also was pushing to end the practice of catching illegal immigrants and releasing them in the United States on bond.

Illegal migrants from Mexico who are caught are returned immediately, but people from other countries have an 80 percent chance of being released because the agency lacks the facilities to hold them, he said.

"Our goal at DHS is to completely eliminate the 'catch and release' enforcement problem, and return every single illegal entrant," Chertoff said.

Immigration has become a high priority for the Republican-led Congress, although the issue divides Republicans and lawmakers say they expect no action on a bill until next year.

Some Republicans back an approach supported by many Democrats that would provide a path to legal permanent status for those who have been living and working in the United States for years.

Other Republicans back a temporary worker program but reject any amnesty for those already in the country. A number of Republicans want to focus on enforcement and border controls.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, told reporters that while some border security issues may come first, "we will do a comprehensive immigration bill."

Source: REUTERS

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