US President George W. Bush said Tuesday that opponents of a landmark law to normalize the status of 12 million illegal immigrants were trying to stir up fear among Americans. In an energetic defense of the proposed law soon to be debated in the Senate, Bush rejected critics who are calling the legislation an amnesty for illegal immigrants, and said kicking them out of the country is "simply unrealistic."
"If you want to scare the American people, what you say is, 'The bill's an amnesty bill.'
"It's not an amnesty bill. That's empty political rhetoric trying to frighten our fellow citizens," Bush said in southern Georgia at a training center for government security officials.
"Amnesty is forgiveness for being here without any penalties," he said. "This bill is not an amnesty bill."
"I'm deeply concerned about America losing its soul," Bush told the McClatchy newspaper chain in an interview.
"Immigration has been the lifeblood of a lot of our country's history," Bush said.
"I am worried that a backlash to newcomers would cause our country to lose its great capacity to assimilate newcomers," he told the news service.
The bill, which was introduced in the Senate last week, could eventually allow most of the estimated 12 million undocumented workers in the United States to gain legal status, in the most sweeping immigration law reform in 21 years.
While providing more money to tighten border control against those sneaking into the United States, it would require those who came to the country before January 1, 2007 to pay 5,000 dollars in fines and apply for legal status in a process that would at one point require them to return to their home countries.
Permanent status would be granted after a vetting process which, according to the current bill, would prioritize entry by education, job and language skills, rather than giving preference to those with family already in the United States as has been the case.
It would also allow 200,000 temporary guest workers to enter the country for two-year stints.
It also encourages tougher action against employers who hire illegal immigrants.
But a strong and vocal opposition across the country against the bill could kill its progress -- even though polls show most Americans support the reform.
"This reform's complex. There's a lot of emotions around this issue. Convictions run deep," Bush argued Tuesday.
"Those determined to find fault with this bill will always be able to look at a narrow slice of it and find something they don't like.
"If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it. You can use it to frighten people."
While the bill would have substantial impact on millions of people and on the economy, it is also seen as crucial to Bush's legacy as president.
Coming off a successful pushback against Democrats aiming to stifle his Iraq war policy, Bush is aiming to prod the immigration bill through Congress -- with the help of Democrats -- in what could be the last major domestic initiative of his presidency.
He hopes for an agreement on the bill by August; it has been presented to the Senate for debate and, if passed then must go to the House of Representatives where it faces a stiff challenge.
If the bill is stalled at that point, it could fall victim finally to the opening of the full 2008 presidential election campaign season.
"The system is broken to the point where people are being used as human cargo, being exploited, simply because most want to come and provide for their families. Most are willing to do jobs Americans aren't doing. The system needs to be fixed," Bush insisted.
"I know there are some people out there hollering and saying, 'Kick 'em out.' That is simply unrealistic. It won't work."