Speech #1100050558

That is a tamperproof. biometrically induced ID. We need to have those in place before the bill becomes a reality. Border security must and ought to be first and foremost. I have heard a lot of discussion from people who have not read the bill who suggest that 12 million illegal aliens are receiving a guaranteed. automatic right to remain in the United States. That is not the case. They are going to have an opportunityafter paying fines. after coming out of the shadows and registering. after background checksto pay a fine for breaking the law and then go on probationary status. They will then have a card. which will become a visa. if they apply for it. It is a paradigm shift in what immigration is like in our country. It will require a new paradigm. which some find that. for a country that wants to be competitive in the 21st century. may be a wise thing. It is a meritbased system. without throwing aside the issue of family. It continues to involve family consideration. but it is not the only consideration. Illegal aliens who are here and wish to regularize their status should have an opportunity to become citizens. but it ought not be an automatic or direct path to citizenship. They will have to return to their home country under this bill and apply outside the country legally. It will be a long and difficult road. where they have to pay additional fines and other backgrounds checks will be done and. at the earliest. anybody who would be in this country illegally today. after having applied outside the country. it is going to be as lengthy as 13 to 15 years before they can become citizens of this country. The people in line and the people who have done it the right way will be first to become citizens. ahead of those who have come illegally. As to the guest worker program. this is truly a guest worker program. When somebody outside the country comes here to go to school. they ask for a student visa and they understand they are coming for a period of time to study and go to school and then they are to return to their country. The guest worker program will be much the same thing. They will come for 2 years. understanding it is a 2year visa. At the end of that 2 years. they have to return home. They are not coming to immigrate. they are coming to work. That is the understanding. It is the understanding before they ever come here. As they do. they will have an opportunity to work and taste the American dream. but they also have an obligation to return to their country. At the end of 6 years. or three work periods. they will return home and not be allowed to return again as a guest worker. They could have a path to citizenship. if they so chose to apply for regular immigrant status. They could be considered for that. but at the same time there would be no guarantees by the fact that they were here. They will have earned points by working here. and it is going to be a meritbased system.