    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [July 5, 2006]
    [Pages 1319-1321]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Immigration Reform in Alexandria, Virginia
    July 5, 2006

        The President. I just had a really interesting conversation. First
    of all, this business is owned by two Iranian American brothers. They are
    small-business owners; they are entrepreneurs; they are employing
    people. And then I met with the district manager, who works with the two Iranian American brothers,
    happens to be a Guatemalan American citizen. She is learning business;
    she is taking on additional responsibility. Then I talked to the store
    manager, who was a Salvadoran American.
        These people remind me that one of the great features of our country
    is that people

    [[Page 1320]]

    are able to come here and realize dreams. One of the problems we have,
    because our economy is strong, is that small-business owners have
    trouble finding workers. People come here to work.
        And one of the things we've got to do is to make sure that they have
    a verification plan that will enable them to determine, as they hire new
    workers, whether or not those workers are here illegally. See, it's
    against the law to hire somebody who is here illegally. And we intend to
    enforce that law. Part of a comprehensive immigration plan is to give
    employers the tools necessary to determine whether or not the workers
    they're looking for are here illegally in America. And we've got such a
    plan, Basic Pilot, it's called. It's working.
        One of the reasons I came is I asked the owner of the business, was the
    plan working. He said, ``Yes, it is. It makes it easier for us to verify
    whether the documents a person gives us are true.'' I also want--so
    therefore, I want this plan to be expanded. When I first became
    President, it was only in six States. Now it's across the Nation. But
    it's a voluntary plan; it ought to be a mandatory plan.
        I'm strongly for a comprehensive immigration policy. It's one that
    enforces the border. And we're doing that by expanding agents and
    putting new technologies on our border. But part of a comprehensive
    immigration plan is to make sure we have interior enforcement, that we
    uphold our laws, and say to employers, ``It's against the law for you to
    hire somebody who's here illegally. We intend to fine you when we catch
    you doing it.'' But we've got to get the employers the tools to make
    sure that the people who are here, are here legally.
        Thirdly, I think there needs to be--I know there needs to be a
    worker program that says you can come here on a temporary basis and work
    here legally for jobs Americans aren't doing. If you talk to employers
    such as these folks, they'll tell you they need workers. And people are
    willing to do the work that others aren't willing to do, but we want to
    make sure there's a legal way to do it.
        So I look forward to working with Congress for a temporary-worker
    plan that will have background checks to make sure that people that are
    coming aren't criminals, that say you can come here for a temporary
    basis, that you can do work others aren't doing. And that's one way to
    make sure that employers know they're hiring people who are here
    legally.
        We need to make sure we help people assimilate. I met four people here who assimilated into
    our country. They speak English; they understand the history of our
    country; they love the American flag as much as I love the American
    flag. That's one of the great things about America: We help newcomers
    assimilate. Here's four folks that are living the American Dream, and I
    think it helps renew our soul and our spirit to help people assimilate.
        And finally, we cannot kick people out who have been here for a
    while. And so I look forward to working with Congress on a rational plan
    as to how to make sure people who have been here, the 11 million or so
    people who have been here for a while, are treated with respect and
    dignity. I'm absolutely opposed to amnesty. Amnesty says, you're
    automatically a citizen. That would be a mistake to grant amnesty.
    Amnesty would say to somebody, all I've got to do is wait it out; all
    I've got to do is get here illegally myself and I'll become a citizen.
    That would be bad policy.
        But I'm also realistic to tell you that we're not going to be able
    to deport people who have been here, working hard and raising their
    families. And so I want to work with Congress to come up with a rational
    way forward.
        Again, I want to thank you all for having me. I love being--I cannot
    tell you how I love being with entrepreneurs and dreamers and doers and
    people who are running things and managers, and to be with my

    [[Page 1321]]

    fellow citizens as we talk about a very important public policy, and
    that's rational, comprehensive immigration reform.
        Thank you all very much. See you back at the White House.
        Q. Mr. President, North Korea--do you believe there should be----
        The President. See you at the White House. April [April Ryan,
    American Urban Radio Networks], would you like me to buy you a cup of
    coffee?
        Ms. Ryan. I would love you to.
        The President. What would you want in it?
        Ms. Ryan. Anything you want to give me.
        The President. What would you like in it, cream and sugar?
        Ms. Ryan. Sure, sir. [Laughter]
        The President. All right. One more coffee please. I'm coming your
    way. It's in the spirit of----
        Ms. Ryan. Spirit of what?
        The President. Spirit of reaching out.
        Ms. Ryan. All right. And you got money in your pocket? Do you
    typically keep money in your pocket?
        The President. No, this is--Jared let me have this money. [Laughter]
    And I'll repay him--I'll repay him. See, the man offered to give me the coffee for free. You can't
    run a business if you give your coffee away. I understand how commerce
    works. He offers a product I want; I then pay for that product--I'll
    handle that, sir, thank you. [Laughter]
        Ms. Ryan. Mr. President, thank you so much.
        The President. April, anything for you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:02 a.m. in a Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin
    Robbins store. In his remarks, he referred to Abolhossein Ejtemai and
    Ali Assayesh, owners, and Reynaldo Ramos, store manager; and Adriana
    Hernandez, district manager, Dunkin' Brands, Inc. The Office of the
    Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these
    remarks.