Bush backs proposed immigration reform bill

WASHINGTON: President George W Bush has strongly backed the proposed immigration reform bill that addresses issues of illegal immigration and seeks to increase the number of H1B visas by 50,000 annually, which would also benefit Indian professionals seeking jobs in the US.

"This legislation includes all the elements required for comprehensive immigration reform. It will improve security at our borders. It will give employers new tools to verify the employment status of workers and hold businesses to account for those they hire," Bush said in his weekly radio address on Saturday.

The bill, championed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, seeks to tackle the problem of 12 million illegal immigrants, and provide a temporary worker programme.

"It will create a temporary worker programme. It will help us resolve the status of millions of illegal immigrants who are here already, without animosity and without amnesty. And it will honour the great American tradition of 'the melting pot' by strengthening our efforts to help new arrivals assimilate into our society," Bush said.

While the proposed legislation has provision for increasing H1B visa allocation from the current 65,000 to 115,000, a bi-partisan group of senators had made it clear that the "last word on the subject had not been said".

Praising the work of bipartisan group of Senators, Bush said the legislation will mandate tough border security and enforcement benchmarks that will include stringent on site inspections at workplaces and tamper proof identification cards.

Bush said the legislation will end chain migration by limiting the relatives who can automatically receive green cards to spouses and Minor children.

"This legislation will will transform our immigration system so that future immigration decisions are focused on admitting immigrants who have the skills, education and English proficiency that will help America compete in a global economy," Bush said.

Bush spoke of the temporary worker programme that will not only help the American economy but ease the pressure at the borders, "by providing foreign workers with a legal and orderly way to enter our country to fill jobs that Americans are not doing."

He also spoke on the most difficult aspect of the immigration reform including how to legalise estimated 11 to 12 million immigrants in America.

Bush said the legislation would also help resolve the status of illegal immigrants, who are already in the US without amnesty.

"Those who come out of the shadows will be given probationary status. If they pass a strict background check, pay a fine, hold a job, maintain a clean criminal record and eventually learn English, they will qualify for and maintain a Z visa," he said.

"If they want to become citizens, they have to do all these things, plus pay an additional fine, go to the back of the line, pass a citizenship test and return to their country to apply for their green card," Bush explained.

The White House has called on the House of Representatives to take the second step of coming out with their own framework.

In late 2005, the House of Representatives came up with an immigration reform legislation that was predominantly focussed on enforcement with little or nothing on matters like the H1B visas.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has told the White House that while she was in favour of bringing about a comprehensive legislation on immigration, she will not get a bill on the floor unless there is an assurance that there are at least 70 Republicans supporting the initiative.