President George W. Bush promised Saturday to permanently bar future illegal immigrants from the United States as he renewed his push for immigration reform, a centerpiece of his domestic agenda. A revised reform package was reintroduced in the Senate this past week after its predecessor failed on June 7 to garner enough votes to cut off debate and move for final passage. The collapse of the first proposal has prompted a personal intervention by the president, who went to Capitol Hill to plead for giving the bill a second chance.
But while he has succeeded in putting the proposal back on the Senate agenda, the legislation is facing strong opposition from both Republicans and Democrats, who argue that granting legal status to an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants will only encourage more people to sneak across the poorly guarded border.
In his weekly radio address, Bush sought to address these concerns, revealing for the first time that under the revised proposal, people crossing a US border illegally will not only be deported, but never allowed to enter the United States again.
"Under this bill, those caught crossing illegally will be permanently barred from returning to the United States on a work or tourist visa," the president stated.
He went on to assure Americans the new bill puts border enforcement first.
The measure contains 4.4 billion dollars to help the US Border Patrol hire more agents, build additional fencing, purchase infrared cameras and other technologies that help intercept illegal aliens.
"Only after these enforcement tools are in place will certain other parts of the bill go into effect," Bush said.
These "other parts" include a guest worker program that illegal immigrants currently in the United States would be able to join by applying for a renewable "Z" visa and paying fines.
Program participants will be allowed to eventually seek permanent residency and citizenship, although only after returning to their countries of origin.