[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 23 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Pages 767-768]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

June 8, 2007

    Good morning. This week I am traveling in Europe, where I am meeting 
with world leaders to discuss ways to address challenges like climate 
change, to work together to combat diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS, 
and help advance freedom throughout the world.
    Back at home, America is engaged in an important discussion about 
immigration. Most Americans agree that the 1986 immigration law failed. 
It failed because it did not secure our border, it did not include tough 
worksite enforcement, it did not help people assimilate, and it 
encouraged more people to come here illegally. Today, illegal 
immigration is supported by criminal enterprises dedicated to document 
forgery, human trafficking, and labor exploitation. This is 
unacceptable, and we need to fix it in a way that honors our finest 
traditions.
    People have strong feelings on this issue. I believe we can express 
our feelings, disagree on certain elements, and still come together on a 
solution. We can accomplish that through the bipartisan Senate bill. It 
is based on months of negotiation. The result is legislation that puts 
border security first, establishes a temporary-worker program to meet 
the legitimate needs of our growing economy, sets up a mandatory system 
for verifying employment eligibility, and resolves the status of the 
estimated 12 million people who are here illegally. If this bill becomes 
law, America will finally have in place a system that addresses all 
these problems and can be adjusted to address future problems that may 
arise.
    I understand the skepticism some Members of Congress have regarding 
certain aspects of this legislation. Like any legislation, this bill is 
not perfect. And like many Senators, I believe the bill will need to be 
further improved along the way before it becomes law. In the heat of the 
debate, critics and supporters can sometimes talk past each other, so I 
want to speak to Members about some of the concerns I have heard.
    I know some of you doubt that the Federal Government will make good 
on the border security and enforcement commitments in this bill. My 
administration is determined to learn from the mistakes of the past 
decades. And that is why we are now committing more resources than ever 
before to border security, doubling the number of Border Patrol agents, 
building hundreds of miles of fencing, and employing advanced 
technology, from infrared sensors to unmanned aerial vehicles. The bill 
builds on this progress by requiring that we meet border security 
objectives before certain other provisions can take effect.
    This bill also addresses other problems with the 1986 reform. Unlike 
the 1986 law, this bill includes a temporary-worker program to ensure 
that those who come here to work do so in a legal and orderly way. 
Unlike the 1986 law, this bill gives honest employers the tools they 
need to ensure that they are hiring legal workers, beginning with a 
tamper-resistant identity card. Businesses that knowingly hire illegal 
aliens will be punished. Workers who come here illegally will be sent 
home. And unlike the 1986 law, this bill does not grant amnesty for 
those who are already here.
    Amnesty is forgiveness with no penalty for people who have broken 
our laws to get here. In contrast, this bill requires illegal workers to 
pay a fine, register with the Government, undergo background checks, pay 
their back taxes, and hold a steady job. And if at the end of 8 years 
they want to apply for a green card, they will have to pay an additional 
substantial fine, show they have learned English, and return to their 
home country so they can apply from there. In short, they will have to 
prove themselves worthy of this great land.
    I also want to say a word to those in Congress concerned about 
family unification. This bill will create a merit-based point system 
that recognizes the importance of family ties by granting points to some 
applicants who have family members here legally. More than half of new 
green cards will go to family members. Immigrants will be allowed to 
bring in their spouses and minor children, and we will clear the backlog 
for millions of people who have been waiting patiently in line.
    Securing the border and upholding family values are not partisan 
concerns; they are important to all Americans. They must be addressed, 
and this bill is the best way to do

[[Page 768]]

it. I urge Senator Reid to act quickly to bring this bill back to the 
Senate floor for a vote, and I urge Senators from both parties to 
support it. The immigration debate has divided too many Americans. By 
coming together, we can build an immigration system worthy of this great 
Nation, one that keeps us safe and prosperous, welcomes dreamers and 
doers from across the globe, and trusts in our country's genius for 
making us all Americans, one nation under God.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:30 a.m. on June 8 in Heiligendamm, 
Germany, for broadcast at 10:06 a.m., e.d.t., on June 9. The transcript 
was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on June 8. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of this address.