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The White House Friday announced it will take steps to tighten the border and make it more difficult for employers to hire illegal immigrants. The Bush administration said it wants to help businesses make sure that the workers they hire are legal residents, while it also vowed to “crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers.” Noting that currently there are 29 categories of documents that can establish the identity of an employee, the White House also announced that it would reduce the number of documents that employers can accept to verify the immigration status of their workers. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security will raise the civil fines by 25 percent for employers that knowingly hire illegal aliens. Regarding border security, the White House said it plans to have in place 18,300 border patrol agents by the end of next year, along with additional fencing and electronic surveillance equipment. “These reforms represent steps my administration can take within the boundaries of existing law to better secure our borders, improve worksite enforcement, streamline existing temporary worker programs, and help new immigrants assimilate into American society,” President Bush said. “Although the Congress has not addressed our broken immigration system by passing comprehensive reform legislation, my administration will continue to take every possible step to build upon the progress already made in strengthening our borders, enforcing our worksite laws, keeping our economy well supplied with vital workers, and helping new Americans learn English,” Bush added. “The American people want our borders secure and our laws enforced and the Administration should be commended for taking additional steps to achieve those goals,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). “First and foremost, Republicans believe our efforts must start with strong border security and interior enforcement and today’s news are positive steps in the right direction.” However, some Republicans were cautious with regard to the new initiatives on immigration, an issue in which the GOP base has split with its president. “While I appreciate today’s announcement, the Administration can talk until they’re blue in the face about proposed reforms to improve our immigration system,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa.). “I won’t be happy until I see action that’s more than just a press conference and words on a piece of paper.” |
