Bush's Border Bluff

Last night, President Bush issued yet another address in support of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Let's take a look:

I was the governor of a state that has a 1,200-mile border with Mexico. So I know how difficult it is to enforce the border, and how important it is. Since I became president, we have increased funding for border security by 66 percent, and expanded the Border Patrol from about 9,000 to 12,000 agents. The men and women of our Border Patrol are doing a fine job in difficult circumstances, and over the past five years, we have apprehended and sent home about 6 million people entering America illegally.

So if there are 12-20 million illegals in the country, yet only 6 million were sent home, that means that increasing agents by 33% wasn't sufficient

By the end of 2008, we will increase the number of Border Patrol officers by an additional 6,000....At the same time, we are launching the most technologically advanced border security initiative in American history. We will construct high-tech fences in urban corridors, and build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas. We will employ motion sensors infrared cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent illegal crossings...One way to help during this transition is to use the National Guard. So in coordination with governors, up to 6,000 Guard members will be deployed to our southern border

Promises for more border agents, high-tech security? Dandy, but do all of this first, then talk about the guest worker programs. But these practices into place, see what happens after 2 years, then discuss what to do with those here. Traditionally, there is action about amnesty and talk about border security. It's time for those roles to be reversed.

The problem is that the Guard or Border agents can be removed at any time after the defacto amensty legislation has been passed. I'd prefer something more concrete. In another 20 years, we could be facing another wave of illegals. According to the Census bureau, the foriegn born population was 13-14% between the Civil War and the Great Depression. However, research by the Heritage Foundation demonstrates how the 12-20 million would quickly become 100 million