    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [May 20, 2006]
    [Pages 976-978]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    May 20, 2006

        Good morning. Earlier this week, I spoke to you from the Oval Office
    to lay out my vision for reforming our Nation's immigration system. And
    on Thursday, I went to Arizona to visit with the men and women of the
    Border Patrol. I wanted to get an update on their efforts because a
    secure America depends on a secure border.
        I believe America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at
    the same time. We must enforce our laws while honoring our proud
    immigrant heritage. So I support comprehensive immigration reform that
    will accomplish five clear objectives.
        First, America must secure its borders. Since I became President,
    we've increased funding for border security by 66 percent, hired
    thousands more Border Patrol agents, and caught and sent home about 6
    million illegal immigrants. Yet we have much more work to do.
        So this week, I asked Congress to provide funding for dramatic
    improvements in manpower and technology at the border. We'll hire
    thousands more Border Patrol agents. And to help these agents do their
    jobs, we will deploy advanced technologies such as high-tech fences in
    urban areas, infrared cameras, and unmanned aerial vehicles. We'll also
    draw on the expertise of State and local law enforcement in our border
    communities and give them new resources and training so they can help
    secure our border.

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        Putting these new resources in place will take time. To help during
    this transition, up to 6,000 National Guard members will be deployed to
    our southern border. They will assist the Border Patrol by operating
    surveillance and communication systems, installing fences and vehicle
    barriers, building patrol roads, and analyzing intelligence. The support
    of Guard personnel will allow Border Patrol agents to use their skills
    to focus on securing the border.
        Second, to secure our border, we must create a temporary-worker
    program that provides foreign workers a legal and orderly way to enter
    our country for a limited period of time. This program would reduce
    pressure on the border, meet the needs of our economy, and allow honest
    immigrants to provide for their families while respecting the law. And
    it will help us make certain we know who is in our country and why they
    are here.
        Third, we need to hold employers to account for the workers they
    hire by creating a better system for verifying documents and work
    eligibility. The system should include a new tamper-proof identification
    card for every legal foreign worker. This card would help us enforce the
    law and leave employers with no excuse for breaking it. And by making it
    harder for illegal immigrants to find work in our country, we would
    discourage people from crossing the border illegally in the first place.
        Fourth, we must resolve the status of millions of illegal immigrants
    who are already here. They should not be given an automatic path to
    citizenship. This is amnesty, and I oppose it. Amnesty would be unfair
    to those who are here lawfully, and it would invite further waves of
    illegal immigration.
        Some people think any proposal short of mass deportation is amnesty.
    I disagree. There's a rational middle ground between automatic
    citizenship for every illegal immigrant and a program of mass
    deportation. Illegal immigrants who have roots in our country and want
    to stay should have to pay a meaningful penalty, pay their taxes, learn
    English, and work in a job for a number of years. People who meet these
    conditions should be able to apply for citizenship, but approval will
    not be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who
    played by the rules and followed the law.
        Fifth, we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot
    by helping newcomers assimilate into our society. Americans are bound
    together by our shared ideals: an appreciation of our history; respect
    for our flag; and the ability to speak and write in English. We will
    work to ensure that every new citizen fully embraces our common culture.
    When immigrants assimilate, they will advance in our society, realize
    their dreams, renew our spirit, and add to the unity of America.
        Congress is now considering legislation on immigration reform. That
    legislation must be comprehensive. All elements of this problem must be
    addressed together or none of them will be solved at all. The House
    started the debate by passing an immigration bill. Now the Senate should
    act by the end of this month, so we can work out the differences between
    the two bills, and Congress can pass a bill for me to sign into law.
        We should approach this debate with confidence. America has shown
    before that we can enforce our laws and uphold our values, and we will
    do it again. Our Nation honors the heritage of all who've come here
    because we trust in our country's genius for making us all Americans,
    one Nation under God.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:45 a.m. on May 19 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 20. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    May 19 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of
    the Press Secretary also

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    released a Spanish language transcript of this address.