George W. Bush

Last Updated: September 3, 2002

Positions that would lead to less immigration and population growth are listed in green and capital letters as OPPOSES or SUPPORTS.
Positions that would increase immigration and population growth are listed in red and lower-case letters as opposes or supports.

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20500
202-456-1414

INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT - opposes/SUPPORTS

Before Sep. 11 President Bush had refused to appoint law enforcement-types to the INS and had refused to order the INS to begin enforcing the law, but since Sep. 11 he has shown some signs of interest in increasing interior enforcement.

In January, 2002, the White House announced that the INS will implement an entry-exit system "to track the arrival and departure of non-U.S. citizens." The White House said "this new system will dramatically improve our ability to deny access to those individuals who should not enter the United States, while speeding the entry of routine, legitimate traffic."

President Bush has made statements in favor of an improved visa tracking system. In January 2002, President Bush said that an improved visa tracking system would identify visitors who overstay their visas and serve as a way to target terrorists who seek to gain access to the U.S. by overstaying a visa. http://www.numbersusa.com/text?ID=943 President Bush also came out in support of implementation of an entry\exit system for noncitizens in January, saying that such a system would probably include biometric identifiers http://www.numbersusa.com/text?ID=944. (NOTE FROM ABI: an entry-exit system should be part of any comprehensive visa tracking system).

In May of 2001, President Bush urged Congressional leaders to extend a deadline for 245(i), an immigration provision that allows illegal immigrants to pay a fine of $1,000 for entering the country illegally plus a $225 filing fee in turn for legal residency in the U.S., a provision that applied to an estimated 640,000 illegal aliens. This provision to reward illegal aliens was created during the federal appropriations crisis in the autumn of 2000. It was added as a compromise when efforts for massive amnesties were defeated. The deadline for filing was to expire at midnight on April 30, 2001, but an extension would give about 200,000 additional illegal aliens the opportunity to file under this provision, according to the Bush Administration . 245(i) effectively removes the only real penalty that illegal immigrants face - the requirement that they leave the U.S. for a period of time before applying for legal entry into the country.

President Bush has offered conflicting opinions about whether illegal immigrants who successfully evade the border patrol should be identified and deported or provided tax-supported services. While stating that he opposed the spirit of Prop 187 (the California initiative designed to end taxpayer funding of social services to foreigners illegally residing in the state), he remarked that illegal immigrants should not receive benefits. (Interview w/ San Francisco Chronicle 9/3/99)

Bush erroneously has interpreted Prop. 187 as written to deny benefits to the children of illegal immigrants; rather, Prop. 187 denied benefits to people who were themselves illegal aliens. But this was Bush's statement to the Chronicle: "I think we ought to educate children, regardless of the status of their parents. I understand people in California may have a different opinion on that . . . (but) the theory that if we didn't educate their children, (immigrants) may go home, is a theory I didn't subscribe to. I do believe we need to enforce our borders . . . but I believe that if a child is in our country, that child should be educated."

When asked whether federal benefits of any kind should be paid to illegal immigrants Bush responded, "No, except for emergency conditions, obviously. I mean, if an illegal immigrant shows up with a pregnancy, of course." http://www.sfgate.com/cgibin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/09/03/MN46014.DTL

AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS - supports

President Bush continues to promote the Section 245(i) amnesty. In August of 2002 he wrote, "I expect to continue to work with Congress to ensure passage of Section 245(i) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act, which would allow qualified immigrants, eligible to become legal residents, to obtain residency in the United States without being forced to leave the country and their families." What Bush does not make clear in his letter is that in nearly all cases, an alien must be an illegal alien in order to benefit from the Section 245(i) amnesty. Click here to read a 245(i) fact sheet.

In May of 2002 the INS, under direction of President Bush, announced a one-year extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for illegal aliens from Honduras and Nicaragua. The TPS designation was first adopted by the Clinton Administration following the devastation in Honduras and Nicaragua in 1998 caused by Hurricane Mitch. The rationale for the TPS was that deportation of the roughly 5,300 Nicaraguans and 105,000 Hondurans would be a hardship for the countries while they were recovering from the natural disaster. Now, because of the Bush extension of TPS, these estimated 110,000 illegal aliens will be allowed to stay in the United States until July, 2003.

While President Bush has publicly opposed a "blanket amnesty", he is currently pushing a two-step amnesty that will amnesty illegals after they go through a guest worker program. After backing down some from his initial proposal for an amnesty for illegal aliens from Mexico, it now appears that President Bush is considering various guestworker programs that would lead to "regularization" or "earned adjustment" (which are effectively the same thing as an amnesty). In July, 2001 President Bush said, "We ought to make it easier for people who want to employ somebody, who are looking for workers, to be able to hire people who want to work. And I know we can do so in a humane way that treats people with respect."

In May of 2001, President Bush granted a one-year extension of Temporary Protected Status to Hondurans and Guatemalans who were already in the U.S. illegally by December, 1998 when Hurricane Mitch hit Honduras and Gutaemala. The one-year extension applies to about 5,300 Nicaraguans and 105,000 Hondurans who have already registered for Temporary Protection Status. In the 1990s, this pattern of continuing to grant Temporary Protected Status to Central Americans led to several amnesty proposals on the basis that they had put down roots in the U.S., and it would be unfair for them to be sent home.

While visiting Orange County, California in May 2000 President Bush opposed an amnesty plan for illegal aliens, providing a bit more consistency to his position against an amnesty. While Bush does support allowing families to remain in the country while immigration applications are being processed, he did come out against an amnesty. Bush told a reporter from the Orange County Register, "At this point I don't support blanket amnesty. I don't think it will help us meet our goals." This came in response to reports of President Clinton pushing an amnesty this year for about a half-million illegal aliens who have been here since before 1986. http://www.ocregister.com/news/bush005cci3.shtml

During a September 1999 campaign trip to Arizona, President Bush was reported as declaring that he would not support amnesty for foreign nationals illegally residing in the U.S. "I think we can handle the immigration problem without amnesty, he said.

The more recent comments about amnesty seem to supersede July 1999 comments on the Spanish-language Univision TV network in which he indicated he wouldn't rule out an amnesty. http://www.dallasnews.com/specials/bush_campaign/career/0929bush99bush.

CHAIN MIGRATION - supports/OPPOSES

On January 13, 2000 George W. Bush showed a basic lack of knowledge about the subject that will profoundly affect America for the rest of its history. The candidate was answering audience questions in Londonderry, New Hampshire, when Craig Nelsen of ProjectUSA brought up the recently published Census Bureau projections. When he referred to the explosive quality of chain migration, the man who would be President replied, "Chain migration. I haven't heard that term before."

Nelsen responded with a brief explanation of how the family reunification policy now operative fosters a virtually endless stream of immigrants. (In 1996, 65 percent of legal immigrants entered under the chain migration category.)

Bush said that husbands should be united with wives. But he lost his bearings when he said that he wasn't sure whether current law permitted "cousins and in-laws." Of course when siblings, parents and children are included, that means by definition that cousins and in-laws are coming.

Bush appeared embarassed about being so obviously ignorant about an important policy isue. He also professed to not knowing about "the study" (meaning the Census projections, the first to make estimations for the whole century) and mumbled "I thought our replacement rate was at an all-time low."

Bush also did not want to answer Nelsen's question about what number should be the limit -- "One billion? Two?"
(Broadcast on C-SPAN 1/19/00) http://www.projectusa.org/NH/bush.html

VISA LOTTERY

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ANCHOR BABIES

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IMPORT WORKERS - supports

President Bush is pushing some sort of guestworker program, although the details remain unclear. Most likely his proposed guestworker program will lead to legalization of millions of illegal aliens currently in the U.S. In July, 2001, President Bush said "I do believe, though, that when we find willing employer and willing employee, we ought to match the two...We ought to make it easier for people who want to employ somebody, who are looking for workers, to be able to hire people who want to work."

President Bush's official website states that he "supports lifting the current limit on H-1B visas." But it also says that he "believes long term solution to shortage of high tech workers is education, not immigration." http://www.georgewbush.com/issues/points/other.asp

As part of his high-tech plan (8/5/99), Bush went into a bit more detail, although he did not specify how many H-1B workers he would permit or whether he would place a numerical limit on industry's demands at all. "Maintain the competitiveness of our high technology companies by allowing them to recruit more workers with special skills through an increase in the current limit on 'H-1B' visas. Temporary highly-skilled workers are admitted under H-1B visas, which in 1999 are limited to 115,000 (up from 65,000). The 115,000 cap for this year has already been reached, creating a situation that could hurt high tech industries that are currently facing a shortage of computer engineers, software programmers and technicians." http://www.georgewbush.com/issues/economic/it/hightech/plan.asp

In the area of agriculture, President Bush favors the idea of a guest worker program (H-2A visas) which allows temporary pickers into the country. His position does not reflect knowledge that in some areas America has an excess of farm labor, particularly in places like California's Central Valley. The unemployment is so high that the area has been called America's new Appalachia. Real wages have declined 25 percent for farmworkers over the last 20 years even though agricultural output has increased. While the unemployment rate in California dipped to 4.9 percent in September 1999, unemployment rates were above 20 percent in numerous Fresno County farmworker towns. http://www.uniontrib.com/news/reports/immigration/990823-0010_mz1n23immig.html

On January 13, at a campaign stop in Londonderry, New Hampshire, President Bush said he thought that H-1B visas should be increased to 200,000. (Broadcast on C-SPAN 1/19/00)

A January 21 article in the San Franciso Chronicle analyzed the candidates' positions on the high-technology issues important to the area. Regarding the number of H-1B visas, it reported that President Bush supports raising the annual cap, saying that he wants to "send a message of welcome to earnest skilled workers from all over the world."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/01/20/MN44089.DTL

BORDER CONTROL - SUPPORTS

President Bush continues to talk tough on border security. In an August 2002 letter, President Bush wrote that he is "committed to improving U.S. immigration law enforcement, ensuring the security of our borders, and protecting Americans from terrorism." He also wrote, "As my Administration seeks to improve the system that welcomes legal immigrants, the United States must also continue its efforts to combat illegal immigration."

Recognizing the national security role of border control, the White House has recently said, "the massive flow of people and goods across our borders...can serve as a conduit for terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, illegal migrants, contraband, and other unlawful commodities."

President Bush has said he will request in the 2003 budget $10.7 billion for border security, an increase of $2.1 billion from the 2002 budget. The White House says that "this additional funding will allow our border agencies to begin implementing a seamless air, land, and sea border that protects the United States against foreign threats while moving legitimate goods and people into and out of the country. The new border initiatives will be managed by the agencies with primary responsibility for border control."

President Bush has spoken several times in favor of strengthening the border against illegal entry. He has called for better security along the borders http://www.ocregister.com/news/bush005cci3.shtml and he supports Operation Hold the Line, a border strategy aimed at decreasing illegal immigration and drug importation. http://www.startelegram.com/news/doc/1047/1:METRO21/1:METRO21122799.htm In response to Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox's call for an open border between the U.S. and Mexico, President Bush responded in an interview, "We can't have open borders right now and I am not sure we could ever have open borders. The United States must enforce its borders." http://abcnews.go.com/onair/thisweek/transcripts/tw000716_bush_trans.html

WORKER VERIFICATION

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REDUCE OVERALL IMMIGRATION - opposes

President Bush's stance appears confused and easily swayed by emotion and the circumstances of the moment.

There is no indication that President Bush has thought much about or knows much about overall immigration numbers. But he now is on record as supporting an INCREASE in legal immigration. While campaigning in Iowa the first week of January 2000, Bush was asked by a reporter about an advertising campaign throughout the state which called for reduction of legal immigration numbers. The newspaper and TV ads emphasized the overall numbers and the massive U.S. population growth they were forcing. Bush was reported by the Cedar Rapids Gazette as having told the paper's editorial board that there is a "xenophobic, dark side of American politics. It's easy to pick on the downtrodden. It's easy to blame something on somebody else. ... We ought to increase legal immigration for our country's advantage. The high-tech world we are now dominating is dependent on educated folks, but we're short ... of workers." ["Bush blasts anti-immigrant forces," Cedar Rapids Gazette, Jan. 6, 2000]

Bush's response indicates that he sees the question of immigration in a kind of civil rights paradigm. In his view, immigration is about the "downtrodden", and any effort to reduce immigration is an act against vulnerable people. He did not acknowledge that many of the ads in Iowa were emphasizing the need to reduce immigration in order to help not only poor immigrants already here but lower-skilled native-born workers, as well. In his current definition of immigration issues, he has defined away the right of the American people to have a say of any kind in the number of immigrants coming into the country each year.

On the other hand, Bush's response was clearly a knee-jerk emotional one that did not reflect any deep policy positions. He seemed to be focused on the question of increasing H-1B visas for high-tech foreign workers. It is not at all clear whether he really believes that the vast majority of immigrants who are low-skill and poorly educated should be continued and increased.

But a little more than a week later in New Hampshire, Bush seemed much more uncertain about his position.

This was clear in an exchange in the high school cafeteria in Londonderry, N.H., on Jan. 13 with Craig Nelsen, the head of ProjectUSA. This is Nelson's report:

[NELSEN] Then Mr. Bush (surprisingly) called on me, and I stood up, and noting the figures released by the Census Bureau that very morning that we are being swamped even faster than we thought, I asked him how he could support an immigration policy that was fueling such needless and unwanted population growth. "This has nothing to do with 'anti-immigrant backlashes'," I told him, "but a lot of good, decent Americans do not want to see our country as overcrowded as China, India or Mexico. There is no reason for it," I continued, "and we just don't want it." Then I pointed to all the high school kids there and said it wasn't right that we pursue a policy that will double U.S. population in their lifetimes.

[NELSEN] He (Bush) started to re-condemn illegal immigration, but I told him that most of this current flood was legal. Then he started to talk about H-1B visas, and I told him most of the legal immigration was through "chain migration". He asked what "chain migration" was. I told him. He wasn't sure about that, and said he'd have to check up on that.

[NELSEN] Then I said, "How many Americans is enough? One billion? Two billion? Three billion?..." And then he said that he would have to review legal immigration policy.

FEDERAL FORCED DOUBLING OF U.S. POPULATION - supports faster doubling

Mr. Bush currently favors speeding up the rate of U.S. population growth. The Census Bureau states that existing immigration numbers will change the United States from a country of 283 million people today to 571 million at the end of the century.

Apparently even that is not enough of a change for Mr. Bush. His current stance is that immigration numbers should be raised even more.

Click here to view a detailed version of the massive
population growth being caused by current immigration
numbers which this candidate wants to make even larger.

GENERAL INFORMATION

George Walker Bush: Governor of Texas, 1994 to January 2001; President of the United States, January 2001-present

George W. Bush was born in 1946 in New Haven, CN, where his father was still a student at Yale. G.W. graduated from Yale in 1968 with a major in history and later received a Masters of Business Administration from Harvard in 1975. He married Laura Welch in 1977.

G.W. Bush ran for Congress in 1978, losing to the Democratic candidate, after which he returned to the oil business in West Texas. He and a group of businessmen bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in 1989. He was one of two managing general partners until he was elected Governor of Texas in 1994. (It should be noted that Texas has a relatively weak chief executive and a legislature that meets for a few months only once every two years.)

Bush has been notable as a Republican for his "outreach" to Latino ethnic communities in his search for votes, in particular his use of Spanish in public speaking venues. His campaign strategists say they are "looking to win every Latino vote." http://www.austin360.com/news/features/national/1222hispanic_001.html

People who seek lower immigration and a more stable United States could applaud President Bush's outreach to the Latino part of the American population except that he has seemed to equate being pro-Latino with being pro-immigration. Many Republican consultants have advised candidates that if they are to receive votes of Latino-descent Americans, they cannot advocate a public policy of lower immigration numbers. ABI, however, believes that careful attention to the facts would help the President realize that lower immigration numbers would bring disproportionately positive benefits to Latino citizens. To date, President Bush has shown no sign of recognizing it. Although his general approach to Latino citizens has been to refuse to treat them as victims, he has not shown the same kind of sophistication in discussing immigration.

Bush sometimes embraces opposites within the immigration debate. He calls for stiffer border enforcement while he simultaneously expresses understanding for the lawbreakers, saying, "They're coming here to provide for their families, and I empathize with that." http://www.star-telegram.com/news/doc/1047/1:ELECTION25/1:ELECTION25122799.html

In addition, President Bush has been an enthusiastic supporter of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The trade pact has added to the illegal immigration along the Rio Grande. NAFTA increased the proliferation of the border-hugging factories known as maquiladoras, which are owned by multinational corporations and use the cheap labor available in Mexico. These factories pay even less than similar industries in the interior of Mexico. Maquiladoras draw Mexicans to the border area, who are then enticed to travel a few more miles north the reach the much higher wages in the U.S. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/12/07/tejanos/index.html