OPEN-BORDERS BUSH: THE FINAL STRAW?

By Michelle Malkin

Not that this is a surprise to anyone who has actually listened to President Bush's open borders-sympathizing over the last five years, but here's the "news" from AP tonight:

Privately, Bush Says He Favors Citizenship

By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 26, 2006; 7:54 PM

A more accurate headline: Privately, Bush Says He Favors Amnesty

More:

WASHINGTON -- President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting.

Several officials familiar with the meeting also said Democrats protested radio commercials that blamed them for Republican-written legislation that passed the House and would make illegal immigrants vulnerable to felony charges.

Bush said he was unfamiliar with the ads, which were financed by the Republican National Committee, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

At another point, Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other members of his party pressed the president about their concern that any Senate-passed bill would be made unpalatable in final talks with the House.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, had been "intractable" in negotiations on other high-profile bills in the past. Bush did not directly respond to the remark, officials said.

The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity, saying they had not been authorized to disclose details.

Bush convened the session to give momentum to the drive for election-year immigration legislation, a contentious issue that has triggered large street demonstrations and produced divisions in both political parties. Senators of both parties emerged from the session praising the president's involvement and said the timetable was achievable.

"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.

Martinez said it was implicit in Bush's remarks that many of the immigrants illegally in the U.S. would be permitted to remain during a lengthy wait and application period.

Here's a small sample of the e-mail I'm getting from fed-up conservatives forwarding the messages they've sent to the White House:

From Christopher G.:

No amnesty. No "guest worker" status. No sellout!

Enforce existing law. Deport illegal aliens to their country of origin.
Enforce the border to combat illegal traffic of people, drugs, weapons,
biohazards.

What part of "preserve, protect, and defend" doesn't my President
understand?

As a former military officer, President Bush knows that when given a task,
an officer doesn't get away with telling his commander why it can't be done.
His job is to do as he is ordered, or face the consequences. As President, his job is to enforce the law. He's not allowed to whine about why it can't be done.

The American people have, overwhelmingly, voiced opposition to this
legislative action. We didn't elect President Bush to serve the agenda of Vicente Fox.

Enforce existing law. Deport illegal aliens. NO AMNESTY!!

From a 9/11 family member:

Hello, Mr. President. I am an American citizen represented by the wonderful God-fearing people who brought petitions to the White House yesterday, and were turned away along with 570,000 signatures. Now, I have absolutely no doubt about what this President thinks of me because of the way he treated these fine, humble Americans who were, after all, only asking him to order our immigration laws to be enforced instead of preventing enforcement as he has done.

This President has stated time and again that he wakes up every morning thinking of how to protect the American people, how to keep this country safe. Well, that is a news flash. Because if his White House can turn away family members of 9/11 victims as well as victims of crimes by illegal aliens, then somehow he has forgotten to tell us he doesn't mean THOSE Americans. They are outside the reach of his 'compassionate conservatism.' I wonder which Americans he thinks of protecting. I really do.

Maybe the group he spoke to on Monday gives me a clue. The Orange County Business Council, Big Donors all to the Republican Party, have their privilege of cheap labor protected.

I have a message for the President. The White House is not an Ivory Tower, where you can exercise your power by thumbing your nose at the American people, all the while exclaiming 'Neener, neener, neener.' Every time you fling your fighting words at us, sir, and your smug attitude, it is only inspiration for us to fight for what is right. And we will.

There will be no guest worker amnesty. There will be border security and there will be law enforcement. The people have spoken. Thank you for your time and have a nice day."

Steve J.:

President Bush has the strength of will to pursue the war on terror. It's too bad he does not have that same strength when it comes to enforcing out Immigration Laws.

Anthony B.:

It wasn't surprising that USCIS almost immediately released 1,000 of the 1200 illegal aliens working at IFCO. After all, it would have been expensive to lease 50 Greyhound buses to transport them back to Mexico. This is going to be another "Tyson Two Step" case, where two mid level managers from Tyson Foods were "chosen" to be the sacrificial lambs, with one of them getting a year's probation and a $2.000.00 fine and the other a year's probation and a $3,000.00 fine (I'll be THAT put the fear of God in the Tyson Corporation...NOT). It's also interesting to note that Tyson Foods still employs thousands of illegal aliens at their meat processing plants, but without the "interference" of the USCIS or Border Patrol...thanks to some influential folks in Congress who told them to "lay off" doing any more raids on Tyson facilities. I will guarantee you a $50.00 Steak dinner at the restaurant of your choice if any IFCO executives get any prison time out of this latest scam by the Bush Administration.

From Ted K.:

I am a conservative Republican activist working the last two cycles.

I do not see, for one second, how, since you can’t even enforce the laws as written now, you can ever enforce this boondoggle going through the senate right now.

I do not support this, and may just stay home come November.

Alan B.:

I have been one of President Bush's strongest supporters. But respectfully, he is simply wrong on this issue. Our current immigration policy is fine. We just need to enforce it. After we get control of the borders again, we can tinker at the margins all you want. From a purely pragmatic viewpoint, our ability to continue the majority of the things which matter, such as the War on Terror, is being jeopardized by his refusal to back away from a flawed, open doors policy.

It is truly heartrending to hear my President publicly call those who believe in the rule of law, and the security of our nation, compassionless and unrealistic. Even more frustrating is to hear him using a straw man in saying that mass deportation is impractical. Of course it isn't practical, but it isn't needed! We did not import the illegal aliens en mass, and we don't need to deport them en mass. Just enact the changes necessary to "demagnetize" the United States.

We have instant background checks for guns. The Social Security Administration says something similar could be up and running for verification in less than a year.

Prohibit the issuance of any sort of driving certificates without proof of legal residency or citizenship.

Modify the Simpson-Mazzoli Bill to allow and encourage local law enforcement
agencies to question and apprehend illegal aliens.

Send a few businessmen to prison, and heavily fine the businesses involved.

Change our citizenship rules to be in compliance with most of the other
countries, which require at least one parent to be a citizen of the country
for a child to be a citizen by birth.

Build a meaningful fence or other barrier along our southern border.

Do these few things, and the flow will slow, and eventually reverse itself. Fail to address this issue, and it almost certainly will result in a situation which is beyond repair in the future, and terrible political damage in the present.

Respectfully, the proud son of a naturalized citizen,
Alan [B.]

Jeffrey B.:

Mr. President: I am a member of the Republican Base. I give money and the five members of my family vote in every election. I have supported you through all of your troubles because I always thought you had the Country's best interests at heart. I am so disgusted with the current path that immigration reform is going, that I no longer support you. SECURE THE BORDERS AND NO AMNESTY. My family and I will no longer stand in line to vote for Republicans who act like Democrats.

Much more swamping my e-mail box. And the White House's, I assume.