US
President George W. Bush speaks about immigration reform during a stop in
Omaha, Nebraska June 7, 2006. [Reuters] |
New
arrivals to the United States must adopt American values and learn English, US
President Bush said Wednesday, pushing anew for his proposal to overhaul
immigration rules.
To gain passage during this midterm election year, Bush must win over many in
his own party who are opposed to provisions he demands besides stepped-up border
enforcement. Those provisions include providing a path to citizenship for many
illegal immigrants and allowing additional work permits for foreigners.
The US president has taken several tacks in recent weeks to bring around
recalcitrant lawmakers, including repeated emphasis on his seriousness about
tightening the border with more manpower and equipment and imposing stiffer
penalties on businesses that hire illegal immigrants.
On Wednesday, aware that lawmakers are hearing from constituents alarmed by
the added burden immigration sometimes places on police, schools and hospitals,
Bush touted the importance of assimilation - immigrants' adoption of
American culture.
He chose to do so in a heartland state where the rising Hispanic population
is creating frustration, and influencing political races.
Bush visited a community center that offers English and other classes along
with business startup help. He also announced he was creating a new task force
to encourage such efforts around the country and an Office of Citizenship within
the Department of Homeland Security to promote the responsibilities and rights
of American citizens.
"One aspect of making sure we have an immigration system that works, that's
orderly and fair, is to actively reach out and help people assimilate into our
country," Bush said in a speech at a local community college. "That means to
learn the values and history and language of America."
The US president may have undermined that message somewhat while at the Juan
Diego Center, as he joined in a class preparing students for their US
citizenship tests. Though the instructor addressed students in English, Bush
mostly chose their native Spanish to greet and quiz them. When the students
couldn't answer his question — how many father-son duos have served as
president - Bush explained in Spanish that there have been two, the Bushes
and "Juan Adams y su hijo Juan Q."
In Nebraska, immigrants are filling jobs at meatpacking plants and in the
farm fields. Their increased presence was a factor in the May 9 Republican
governor's primary in this solidly GOP state and is expected to figure in
Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson's re-election race against Republican challenger Pete
Ricketts.
Nelson opposes Bush's ideas, and voted against a bill recently passed in the
Senate that contains a guest worker program and a shot at citizenship for
illegal immigrants along with increased border security. Nelson's alternative
proposal would be generally limited to enhanced border enforcement, with
provisions similar to a House bill passed last year that also includes hard-line
measures such as making all illegal immigrants felons.
Nelson said he doubts that House and Senate negotiators - who have yet
to begin meeting - will be able to bridge the divide between their
radically different measures and produce compromise legislation. "The Nebraskans
I know and talk to want to secure the border first," he said.
Nelson's Senate colleague, Republican Chuck Hagel, is an outspoken supporter
of the Senate measure. At the event with Bush, he earned the president's praise.
With business groups who want a steady supply of cheap labor the driving
force behind a temporary worker program, Bush noted the support of Nebraska's
hospitality and agricultural industries. He also countered pessimistic
sentiments like Nelson's.
"I know you probably look at Washington and think it's impossible to develop
a consensus in Washington, DC. It probably seems that way, doesn't it, when you
pay attention to all the sharp elbows being thrown and, you know, the people
opinionating and screaming and hollering and calling each other names," the
president said. "But there is a consensus emerging on this issue."
Bush's Omaha visit wrapped a two-day journey devoted to immigration. On
Tuesday, Bush traveled to two border states - visiting the Border Patrol's
agent training facility in Artesia, N.M., before going to the agency's busy
sector headquarters near the Rio Grande River in Laredo, Texas.
