Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, legal and illegal, from around the world, come to the United States. Current INS estimates put the number at 8 to 12 million illegal immigrants, mostly Mexican nationals, within our borders (Seper par.11). These immigrants come because they want a chance at a better life; others are refugees, escaping persecution and civil wars in their home country. Earlier this year, in his State of the Union, President Bush addressed the issue of immigration by proposing a temporary worker program that would grant amnesty for millions of illegal aliens, claiming that our current program is not working. Bush's proposal undermines current US border patrols, labor laws, health and safety protections, and will not end the flow of illegals from entering our country. This plan will not solve our growing immigration problem.
Bush outlined a plan that would offer amnesty to undocumented aliens by providing them with temporary work permits.
English: Official photograph portrait of former U....
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Bush's LimoIllegal aliens and prospective immigrants would be eligible for the permits as long as they have secured employment in the United States. The permits would then allow approved employers to hire guest workers for a three-
year period (Bush, par.20). The White House argues that the jobs these illegals are doing are jobs that Americans simply will not or cannot do. This reasoning is ridiculous; it allows an influx of 8 million unskilled workers into the current job market where unemployment is on the rise. Granting these permits will hardly solve the problem of companies hiring illegals. If the workers who have permits start getting paid equal wages, and businesses have to comply with labor laws, then there is no incentive to keep these workers. The laborers have no reason to sign up for the program either if they know they will be...