US President George W. Bush on Monday called for an overhaul of US immigration law in 2007, focusing on a rare bright spot in his grim relations with Democrats fiercely opposed to the Iraq war.
YUMA/ARIZONA: US President George W. Bush on Monday called for an overhaul of US immigration law in 2007, focusing on a rare bright spot in his grim relations with Democrats fiercely opposed to the Iraq war.
On the US-Mexico border, Bush inspected the construction of a fence and other measures meant to stem the tide of undocumented immigrants into the United States and urged lawmakers to approving sweeping reforms this year.
"This is a matter of national interest, and it's a matter of deep conviction for me," he said in a speech, adding he hoped "that Congress can pass a comprehensive bill and I can sign it into law this year."
If the issue drags into next year, it risks stalling as the 2008 White House race goes into high gear.
The embattled president's proposals include the creation of a temporary guest worker program and clearing the way for some undocumented immigrants to become US citizens, coupled with a series of tougher security measures.
His ideas divide his party, with many Republicans saying they want to see tougher enforcement of border controls and deriding his guest worker program as an improper "amnesty".
Bush's Democratic critics, who took control the US Congress in January, are generally more receptive, though some with close ties to US unions worry that immigration puts downward pressure on wages.
The US Congress in late May is expected to take up the debate on what to do about the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, according to a congressional source.
"It's an emotional issue," said the US president. "People have got deep convictions and my hope is that we can have a serious, and civil, and conclusive debate."
At his stop here, Bush put special emphasis on border security and enforcement, noting he was pushing to double the size of the US Border Patrol and advocating new high-tech ways of detecting people sneaking in.
But he said any comprehensive deal must also create a temporary worker program; hold employers accountable if they hire undocumented workers; resolve the states of the undocumented workers already in the United States; and ensure that those who want to stay speak English and know US history.
Many of these proposals have run into opposition from lawmakers or immigrant advocacy groups -- including an initial suggestion that a three-year work permit cost a hefty 3,500-dollar fee.
But Bush has powerful allies in the US Congress, including Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy, the chief architect of one immigration overhaul bill.
"While we're still negotiating in the Senate, I'm optimistic that soon we will have legislation and I'm determined to make 2007 the year that we fix our broken system. The American people have waited long enough," he said recently.
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