For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 7, 2004
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
12:44 P.M. EST
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. The President looks forward to
this afternoon making remarks on immigration in the East Room. As
you've heard me say and heard the President say, America is a welcoming
society and we are a nation of immigrants, and we are better and
stronger for it. And today the President will be outlining his
proposal for a new temporary worker program to match willing workers
with willing employers when there is no American that can be found to
fill those jobs. This program will be open to new foreign workers and
to the undocumented men and women currently employed here in the United
States. And this will allow those who are currently here in the United
States working and that are undocumented to come out of the shadows and
participate legally in America's economy, while not encouraging further
illegal behavior.
And the President will also call on Congress to pass this proposal
based on some specific principles. Those principles include protecting
the homeland by controlling our borders, serving America's economy by
matching willing workers with willing employers, promoting compassion,
which this initiative will do, and providing incentives for these
workers to return home to their countries, and then protecting the
rights of legal immigrants who will now have the same protections that
are afforded to other workers here in this country under this program.
We should have an immigration law that is fair, humane, and that
makes our nation more secure. And our policy today is currently not
working, and that's why the President will be discussing his plan for
reforming our immigration laws to make them more fair and to make our
nation more secure.
And with that, I'll be glad to go into questions.
Q A lot of the criticism that's surfaced already on this
proposal is that it doesn't give enough opportunities to immigrants who
are here already to remain permanently. Why not? Why not open that
program up to everyone who is here now and wants to stay?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, the President has previously stated his
opposition to any kind of blanket amnesty. The President has long
recognized that we are a welcoming society and a nation of immigrants,
and that our policy should reflect that compassionate side of America.
We also have an important economic need to meet. There are a number of
jobs that, for whatever reasons, Americans have not filled, and this is
an opportunity for workers from abroad who can fill those jobs to
participate in our economy and to contribute back to our society, just
like others in our society do today through paying taxes and other such
means. But the President believes we should not be rewarding illegal
behavior. And that's one of the principles which he will discuss in
his remarks.
Q Scott, there's a study out of Chicago that says that some
employers are more willing to hire undocumented persons instead of some
other Americans because they feel that they're docile, they feel that
they don't want benefits or they don't need benefits, and also that
they can threaten them. What are the safeguards in place to make sure
that these employers are not hiring undocumented workers instead of
Americans who are qualified for these low-income jobs?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are some measures that are currently in
place to enforce the law and go after those who hire illegal
immigrants. And under this proposal, enforcement against companies
that break the law and hire illegal workers will only increase. The
President will talk about the importance of having strong enforcement
action against those who break the law. And the President's employers
-- the President's proposal will also force such employers to treat all
their employees with the same humane and compassionate treatment under
the law that's already afforded to American workers.
Q So are -- there are guidelines in place, for instance, on
farms, maybe farmhands. Are there -- what kind of gauge, how would the
federal government be able to able to gauge that for someone to come in
on a farm to do work on a farm, to share-crop or whatever?
MR. McCLELLAN: How would they be able to gauge what?
Q How would the federal government be able to gauge that kind
of activity, that they didn't throw -- they didn't give an undocumented
worker this position versus someone else from a low-income community?
MR. McCLELLAN: Under this approach we will work to -- work with
Congress to make sure that every reasonable effort is made to find an
American to fill a job before that job is extended to a foreign
worker. There are currently programs in place of that nature, under
some of our temporary worker programs that we already have -- some
which you may have been referring to. So there's a way to look at that
and verify that they've made every reasonable effort to hire an
American first, before that job can be filled by a temporary worker
from abroad.
Q If you're in a job and you're here illegally, does it require
that your employer be part of the arrangement in order to legalize your
status? Or can you apply for that on your own as an illegal worker,
and the employer is just used for verification?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the employer would have to document -- I
mean, these workers are going to -- and a lot of these are getting into
some of the technical details of the proposal, and those are issues
that we'll work through with members of Congress as we move forward on
this proposal. But there are already measures in place for existing
temporary worker programs. And anyone -- what the President will call
for is that you will have to document that you are currently working in
the United States, or you could be someone from outside the country who
has a job offer that was seeking to come here.
Q But you need the employer just for verification, not that
they would have power over the individual to somehow influence whether
or not they're approved as a legal worker?
MR. McCLELLAN: The employer would have responsibilities under this
approach, as well. An employer has to -- I mean, obviously, they have
to document that they have a job or that they have an offer of a job in
order to participate in this temporary program.
Q One other question, if I may. On the -- one of the problems
has always been for illegal immigrants, undocumented workers, is that
they're paying taxes, they're paying Social Security -- sometimes to a
false Social Security number -- but then that money disappears on
them. It wasn't clear to me from the background briefing we got last
night whether they actually qualify to get that money when they go back
to their home country, or whether they simply qualify for the quarters
they have worked. Can you clarify that at all?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's -- one of the things that the President will
talk about is, because this is a temporary program, we want to -- we
expect under this program that people will return to their home country
after a period of time, after the job is -- this temporary worker
program ends for that individual. And one thing that we should do is
provide financial incentives, and that would include what you're
talking about, their retirement savings; that we would work with other
countries to make sure that they could receive credit for the money
that they are putting into their own retirement savings here in the
United States, when they return home to their country.
And we'd also look at giving these individuals tax preferred
savings accounts, just like we want all Americans to have, so that they
could receive some of those benefits when they return to their country
of origin. So there's a financial incentive also for them to return to
their home country.
Q And income taxes?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, they will be paying taxes just like everybody
else. That's another benefit to this approach that will help make our
immigration law more fair.
Q They will get Social Security, right?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, they're paying into Social Security right now
and they're not getting it. Yes, under this approach one of the
incentives for them to return to their home country will be that
they'll be able to realize those retirement savings that they were
paying here in the United States.
Q But I mean, they will be under the Social Security system?
MR. McCLELLAN: In fact, we already have -- well, yes, we already
have agreements with some 20 countries on allowing people that come
here to this country and work to receive those benefits when they go
back to their home country.
Q -- work out with Mexico?
MR. McCLELLAN: We do not have that specific agreement with Mexico
right now, we've been in discussion with them informally and we'll work
with them more formally to move forward on that.
Q What is the administration's estimate of the number of
undocumented workers who might be eligible for this temporary work
program?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the estimates are that there are some 8
million people in this country illegally, and in terms of how many
workers are there, we just don't know that number. That's why under
this approach you would have to document that you are currently working
in the United States as a first step.
Q So for those eight million people, as you point out, this
temporary program envisions that most of them will go home. The deal
for those considering their future under this program is that they sign
up for this temporary worker program, they come out of the shadows and
get benefits and they get rights and status of a legal worker, and
they'll have to go home at the end of the day, most likely. For a lot
of them, wasn't the main reason for them coming to the United States
because they wanted to come to the United States?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think for a lot of people, why they come to the
United States and seek employment here is because they're seeking to
improve their life or the lives of their family. And that's one of the
things the President will talk about, as well. The best way to address
the issue of people coming to this country illegally, because a large
number of them are coming here seeking a better way of life, is to
reduce the pressures back in their home country that forced them to
seek a better way of life. And that is by improving economic
opportunities in their own countries. And one way we can do that is
through expanding free trade. And that's one of the issues.
Q But that's a long-term problem, obviously. For the worker in
this country looking at this program, they're really looking at a kind
of slow deportation. They're really looking at -- they'll sign up for
a three-year program, there are 8 million of them -- or there are
millions of them, not that many green cards, not that many citizenship
slots, and for the vast majority of them, by signing up for this
program, they are guaranteeing that at some point they'll go home --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't think I'd look at it that way at all. I
mean, one, the program is for three years, but it's renewable. But we
envision that at some point it would end and that they would return
home to their country. They have a lot of reasons to come forward and
be here legally. They will be afforded the protections that others
currently have right now that they don't. There are many that are
maybe facing exploitation and being abused in their current
environment. They will also be contributing back to the society by
doing what everybody else does in America, pay taxes.
So you have to look at all that aspect. There's every incentive
for them to come -- they can return back -- now they will be able to go
and return back and forth between their home country and America.
They'll be able to go back and see their families and then return,
legally, to continue working in their job. They can't do that right
now, so they have every incentive for them to come forward and
participate in this program and receive the protections and benefits
afforded to others.
Q You keep saying this is not an amnesty. Yet you're clearly
going to forgive these people, you're not going to prosecute them. How
is that not an amnesty?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, temporary workers will have to --the
legal status for these workers would, as Terry pointed out, expire
after three years with the ability to be renewed. Then they would have
to either return home or apply for a green card under existing law.
And that's unlike the blanket amnesty that was enacted in 1996*.
Amnesty rewards undocumented workers, or undocumented immigrants with
an automatic path to citizenship. The President's plan would not give
the temporary workers any unfair advantage. They would have to go
through the normal existing process.
*1986
Q You're saying that it's not the same program as --
MR. McCLELLAN: They can go through the citizenship path right
now.
Q Clearly it's not the same program as '96, but it is a form of
amnesty, is it not?
MR. McCLELLAN: Amnesty, again, amnesty is rewarding undocumented
immigrants who are here in this country with an automatic path to
citizenship. This does not do that. This is a temporary worker
program. This does not give them permanent residence status. And this
program envisions them returning back to their home country and
contributing back to their own country.
Q Can you clarify a couple of things about the time frames
here? First of all, how many times would this be renewed? And are you
assuming that it's one three-year renewal, so that there's a maximum of
six years?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's the way, and the President will talk
in his -- will spell out in his remarks that he sees it as being a
program that would exist for three years, it would be renewable, but
that it would end at some point. We will work with Congress on some of
those specific issues that you were talking about, and that's one of
them that we will work closely with Congress on as we move forward.
Q Okay. Does that apply to the law itself or just to the
individual cases? In other words, do you envision the law itself
expiring so that it would --
MR. McCLELLAN: We are talking about a temporary worker program
that would last for three years for that individual.
Q Right, but beyond the individuals, would this program exist
in perpetuity.
MR. McCLELLAN: What do you mean?
Q -- there are always waves of new people who would want to do
this, presumably.
MR. McCLELLAN: Right.
Q Would this law be in effect 10 years from now to allow
workers to be matched up with willing employers?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think, again, we're going to move forward and
work with Congress on all the technical aspects. But we envisioned
this as a new temporary program -- temporary worker program that would
be in place to meet the need that is there -- the economic need that is
there to match willing workers with willing employers who are unable to
find an American to fill that particular job. So this program will be
put in place, and it will be available to those who are currently here
that are undocumented and working in the United States and filling a
job that was not filled by an American for whatever reason, and those
who can show that they have an employment here in the United States and
seek to come here from abroad.
Q On a slightly different question, how, if at all, does this
approach differ from what you were considering before 9/11?
MR. McCLELLAN: How does it differ? I think this is the extension
of -- this is the moving forward on what we talked about previously.
If you go back to September -- I'm sorry, probably February of 2001,
the President traveled to Mexico; he met with President Fox; they
discussed the importance of having a more orderly, safe, humane, and
legal migration policy. That's something the President has been long
committed to, going back to his days as governor of Texas. He believes
very strongly that this is the right policy to bring about a more fair
immigration law and a more secure country for the American people.
And so this is what started then. Of course, then we had September
11th and the attacks of September 11th, we had to address some
immediate needs there in terms of strengthening our border security and
refocusing our efforts on meeting the new threats of the 21st century,
specifically terrorists and terrorist attacks. And then we are also
working to improve our immigration infrastructure. So this is an
outgrowth of what started early on in this administration.
Q But had 9/11 not happened, this program is more or less what
we would have seen in 2001?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, that's such a hypothetical. Nine-eleven did
happen. We obviously worked and went and consolidated all our border
control agencies under one roof.
Q But I'm talking about your general approach as far as
immigration is concerned.
MR. McCLELLAN: This is coming out of the initial discussions the
President had early on in this administration. I don't think you can
set aside September 11th. This all goes together. And by bringing
about a new temporary program and identifying who is in this country,
by giving these undocumented workers a chance to become legal, then we
have a better sense of who is in this country, and that helps improve
the security of this nation, as well.
Q Scott, two questions; one on immigration. Let's say somebody
doesn't find jobs in this country, what will happen to them? They will
be deportable? And also at the same time, what is the future of
immigration law pending, 245, I-245 and other laws pending, one is
including President Bush?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q What will happen, what is the future of those pending
immigration laws, like I-245?
MR. McCLELLAN: Obviously, we continue to work on those initiatives
that we have advocated in the past. But in terms of asking what
happens to those who don't have a job here, obviously, if there are
people here illegally, we have laws in place and we are working to
enforce those laws and we will continue to work to enforce those laws.
And this will help us enforce our immigration laws even more.
Q -- on a different issue?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, let's stay on this issue for now, and then I'll
come back.
Q There is the belief out there that this is a measure to aid
the Hispanic community. I assume it applies to any nationality,
right?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.
Q Everybody is covered under the same law.
MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.
Q You said that this is called a temporary working bill, or
whatever you're going to propose. We're talking three years, renewable
we don't know how many times, but at the end of whatever time is
renewable, these people face a choice, they either have to go back or
go under the existing laws and try to legalize their status. Right?
MR. McCLELLAN: Correct.
Q Okay. The only way to legalize your status in this country
is if you have relatives who will petition for you --
MR. McCLELLAN: That's right, you have to have someone sponsor you,
petition you. That's the way it is right now, that's the way it would
be under this program.
Q -- or if you win a lottery -- they're saying it's a visa
lottery. If not, these people would have to go back. So basically
what Terry was saying, these people will come out of the shadows to
have the ability to work three, six, maybe nine years, and then they're
looking to go back home, unless they marry somebody or have relatives.
MR. McCLELLAN: I think there are many that would like to be able
to return home and this --
Q I'm not sure --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- because they have families back home that right
now that they cannot go back and forth to visit under current law. I
mean, if they try to leave this country now and then try to re-enter,
they might not be able to. This would allow them to go back and forth
between their country of origin and America.
Q My question is, what about a guy, let's say, gets under this
visa, applies for this temporary visa, works for three years, but he's
got a wife who's also raising two kids; the wife isn't legal, doesn't
have a job; the kids, obviously, are in school or whatever. What
happens to the wife? Does she go back to Mexico or wherever?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, under this approach, which is not unsimilar
to other temporary worker programs, if they can show that they can
provide for their family, they would be able to bring their families
here and support their families.
Q -- experience with other temporary worker programs in that at
the expiration of the temporary status, that they do, in fact, which to
go back to their country of origin? Is there some statistic that leads
you to believe that many of these people --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, remember what I said, that the best way to
address the issue of people coming here illegally to seek a better way
of life is to improve growth and opportunity in their countries of
origin. And that's one reason expanding free trade is important.
Q I understand that. But the current situation, absent the
expansion of free trade that you advocate, have you statistic to show
that these folks do, in fact, after a period go back --
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't have specific statistics, no. But I think
there are people here that are separated from their families now. And
one of the aspects of immigration policy is family unity. And that's
why if they can show that they can support their families, they could
bring their families here. But I think there are many people that
would like to probably return home to be back with their families or be
in their country of origin if they could do so.
Right now, they are -- there are some people that are in this
country illegally, trying to support their families back home. This
will allow them to come out of the shadows and receive the same kind of
protections that other workers have. And it will allow them to travel
back and forth to visit their families and support their families in
that way, and then come back and continue their job.
Q You said the President does not want to support breaking the
law, but how is this not supporting breaking the law if you're telling
people you were doing something illegal and you say, okay, well, now
it's legal? Doesn't that say it's okay to break the law and it will be
in the future?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's why I said that our current immigration laws
are not working. We have a large number of illegal immigrants in this
country. We also have an important economic need that we can meet.
And this addresses a lot of those issues and it will discourage further
illegal entry by providing incentives, such as some of the things that
I've mentioned. People will be able to go back and forth between their
country of origin and the United States. They'll have work place
enforcement action in place that they can -- against those who violate
the laws. And they will be able to come forward and to report any
abuses or exploitation.
Q If the law is not working, then it's okay to break them,
essentially.
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q You said the immigration law is not working. That underlines
the point. And the President is saying, well --
MR. McCLELLAN: The President is looking at this as a way to
continue to build on a tradition, long tradition of being a welcoming
society and a compassionate society, and meeting an important economic
need. This is about meeting an important economic need. And that's
why what we're talking here is creating a temporary worker program. It
would be a temporary program. And the program would envision those
individuals returning home after they had finished that program.
Go ahead. Is this on immigration?
Q Yes, it is. Page one of The Washington Times this morning
reports a tripling of border patrol agents along the Canadian border.
And my question is why is there no report of tripling of border patrol
agents along the Mexican border, which would surely reduce the number
of illegals? And I have a follow-up.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Les, as a matter of fact, we have taken a
number of steps to strengthen our border security. One of them is
hiring a significant number of additional agents on the borders. We
have been working closely with Canada and Mexico on border security
issues. We continue to do that. And another reason that we will be
more secure is that we will be able to now account for those who enter
our country, instead of the current situation which allows for millions
of people to come to this country unknown to us and be in this
country.
Q Could you tell us specifically of any benefit at all from the
U.S. taxpayers $820 million for the latest trip to Mars other than
clear pictures of an arid landscape, which The Washington Post op-ed
page this morning called, mission to nowhere?
MR. McCLELLAN: We'll come back to immigration. I think there's
some more questions on immigration, but I would --
Q You will come back?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, let me tell you right now. I would reiterate
that the President is a strong supporter of the exploration of space.
And there are many benefits that we have realized from exploring
space. And so the President -- and I think that yesterday --
Q What benefits?
MR. McCLELLAN: And NASA can outline a lot of them where you're
learning more about issues such as climate change, where you're
learning more -- we learn more about the universe itself, and that
helps improve our knowledge in many different areas. And one of the
primary missions of the Rover Spirit, and the Rover Opportunity which
will be joining it in short order, is to look at whether or not there
was the possibility for any life on Mars long ago. And so that's one
of the important missions that it will fulfill. And there's many
benefits that come from space when we explore space. We've already
realized many of those benefits from previous missions.
Q Scott, the AFL-CIO has historically been opposed to temporary
worker programs. And a spokesman there yesterday reiterated his
opposition, saying they thought that the kind of proposal that the
President is likely to recommend today would undermine worker rights
and would result in a decline in wages for the American workers.
What's your response --
MR. McCLELLAN: I think it will improve their protections and
improve their rights, by giving them legal status. That's exactly the
-- one of the purposes of the law.
Q And this argument that it will result over time in a decline
in the American wage base or American workers wage -- unionized workers
wage base?
MR. McCLELLAN: I dismiss that. There are a number of jobs in this
country that Americans are not filling, for whatever reason. And this
provides an opportunity for those who want to come here from abroad to
fill those jobs and help strengthen our economy even more. There's an
economic -- this is an important economic need that we are working to
address here. And we're also working to bring about a more
compassionate and fair immigration policy that will afford protections
to those workers.
Q The current bill pending in Congress would require that an
undocumented worker pay a $1,500 penalty before they get such a
temporary visa, sort of as an acknowledgment that they've been here
illegally. Would the President support that?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President, in his remarks, will talk about that
those who are here -- those undocumented workers currently here will
have to, one, show that they are working currently, and that they will
have to pay a registration fee in order to participate in this
program. Again, one of the principles is that we shouldn't be
rewarding illegal behavior and giving an unfair advantage to people.
Q Would you characterize it -- is it a registration fee, or
somewhat of a penalty?
MR. McCLELLAN: I would characterize it as a fee. That's what --
the President will describe it as a registration fee to participate in
this program.
Q And the second thing, the issue about since this policy
envisions that people will return home, the critics -- for instance,
Cecilia Munoz of La Raza has said, the White House is asking people to
sign up for a program that is more likely to ensure their departure
than ensure their permanent --
MR. McCLELLAN: We talked about that with Terry a little bit
earlier.
Q Given that, do you have any sense, then, whether there will
be a backlash by Hispanics then about a proposal, when they feel that
it's going to more likely ensure their departure, rather than give them
a chance to put them on a path --
MR. McCLELLAN: I totally disagree with that characterization. I
don't accept the premise of your question in the first place. There's
nothing that prevents them from pursuing a permanent residence status.
Of course, there is nothing at this point that prevents them from
pursuing permanent residence status or a green card. This would allow
them to seek a path to citizenship if they so chose, just as they could
right now if they so chose.
Q How close are the plans on the Hill to what the President is
calling for?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, I think you need to let the President
-- and we're going to provide you with some more information here
shortly, a fact sheet that will provide a little more detail. But what
I'm talking about is what the President is putting forward. Obviously,
there are some pieces of legislation that have some elements of what
the President will be talking about, and we look forward to working
with members of Congress to pass legislation that is based on the
specific principles that I mentioned at the top of this briefing.
Q How do you plan to -- how does the President plan to win over
opponents, particularly those in his own party who are opposed to both
the content and the spirit -- how can a President who campaigned on
restoring honesty and integrity to the White House justify essentially
rewarding some 8 million people who entered the country illegally and
are continuing breaking the law?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think we went through that. One, he will talk
about how America has a long tradition of being a welcoming society.
We are a nation of immigrants. Immigrants have made many important
contributions to this country. We are better and stronger because of
the many contributions from immigrants. And that is one of the
defining strengths of this country.
There is an important economic need in this country that this
program will help meet, and that's important to keep in mind. We're
talking about an economic need here. But our immigration -- and the
President believes very strongly that we should have an immigration
policy that is fair and compassionate, and an immigration policy that
helps make America more secure. And that's what you will hear him
outline in his remarks, the reasoning behind all of this. He feels
very strongly that this is a right policy and that this will improve
our immigration laws.
Q Scott, what are your thoughts to those who are saying this is
actually -- this immigration proposal or policy is taking away from
those who are on unemployment rolls here in this country, and those who
are saying that those on the unemployment rolls need to get the jobs
first, and then you deal with the immigrants?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, I think I stated at the beginning --
well, you have temporary worker programs are already in place and
employers would have to make very reasonable effort to hire Americans
first. And we will work with Congress to make sure that there are ways
to verify this. I think I talked about this a few minutes ago, as
well. There are currently ways, under temporary worker programs in
place now, that require employers to demonstrate that they have tested
the market to ensure that there are no Americans available to fill that
particular job. And so there are ways that we test the market and they
vary among different programs.
Q Can I follow up to that question? What do you say to those
who are on the unemployment rolls right now, who are feeling that this
is just totally unfair to them, that they need chance after chance to
get a job? What do you say to them?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, we have a growing economy because of the
decisive action that the President of the United States took to bring
this economy out of a recession that he inherited. This economy is
continuing to grow and strengthen. And there are jobs being created
over the last few months; there have been some -- more than 300,000
jobs that have been created. The President has a comprehensive plan
that we have been pursuing to strengthen our economic even more. It's
a six-point plan that will continue to strengthen our economy even more
than it already is and create a more robust environment for job
creation.
What we're talking about under this temporary worker program is
jobs that Americans are not willing to take, for whatever reason.
That's what this is about. There are people currently in these jobs
that are undocumented. And now we're going to bring about a process
from which they can gain legal status, and they can enjoy protections
that other workers have. But these companies and employers will have
to show that they made a reasonable effort to hire Americans first.
Q Scott, did you talk to the President about Pete Rose?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes -- are we on immigration still? I'll come
back. Immigration still.
Q One more on it. Scott --
MR. McCLELLAN: One more.
Q Okay. The INS is already --
MR. McCLELLAN: Two more.
Q -- notorious for being unable to enforce immigration laws
that already exist, in terms of carrying -- tracking down illegal
immigrants, deportations, just the normal paperwork. Does this
measure, if passed, presage a growth in the bureaucracy to handle it?
MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, Rick, I think that there's a lot of
efforts being spent now trying to track down illegal immigrants who are
currently in this country. There are a large number of illegal
immigrants who are in this country. And this temporary worker program
will bring about many benefits to our nation. It will -- we'll be able
to better account for those who enter our country, instead of the
current situation. Law enforcement will be able to focus on the true
threats our nations face from criminals and from terrorists. And when
temporary workers can travel legally and freely, there will be more
efficient management of our borders and more effective enforcement of
those who pose a danger to our country. So I think this will bring
about a -- not only a more fair immigration law, but a more efficient
enforcement.
Q Won't there be the necessity for more people and new
mechanisms put into place to manage this program?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are already a lot of resources that are
being used to try to prevent people that are coming into this country
illegally to seek these jobs. So I think that this will help bring
about many benefits to this country in the ways that I just described.
Immigration still? Immigration? Immigration?
Q Patrick Buchanan just weighed in on this. He calls it,
Bush's betrayal of working Americans, in his most recent column. He
says the policy was created by Karl Rove to corner the Hispanic vote --
"The President is buying Hispanic votes by selling out the white
working class, which presumably has no where else to go." And then he
says, "Working America has no powerful voice in politics. Both
Democrats and Republicans are open borders, free trade zealots who
troll for cash from corporate America and burn their incense at the
alters of the global economy." So what -- and he says America needs a
new party as a result. What was Karl Rove's involvement with this
policy?
MR. McCLELLAN: He's a senior advisor to the President. The
President's the one who made the decision to move forward on this
policy. The President has a long record of working to bring about a
more humane, safe, orderly, and legal migration. This goes back to his
days as governor of Texas. The President is the one who makes
decisions in this administration. Certainly Karl is a senior advisor
to the President of the United States --
Q Was it his idea?
MR. McCLELLAN: This is the President's idea. This is the
President's policy.
Any more on immigration? Okay. Go ahead, Randy.
Q The President -- did you talk to the President about Pete
Rose's acknowledgement that he bet on baseball? And does the President
think he should be reinstated?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President believes that it's a matter for Major
League Baseball.
Q What about Gibbs, and the Redskins?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.
Q The Center for Strategic Studies has published a report.
They say that it costs about a billion dollars a week to put the
country on orange alert. Has the federal government done any studies
on the economic impact of going on orange alert, and does that
influence your decision, make you more reluctant or more conservative
to make that move to raise security when there's such a cost associated
with it?
MR. McCLELLAN: The decisions we make when it comes to the threat
level are based on protecting the American people and doing everything
we can to prevent a terrorist attack from happening in the first
place. That is the reason we have a threat level in place. Raising
the threat level, one of the things that it does when you raise the
threat level, based on the consensus judgment of all those involved in
our homeland security, is that it helps deter attacks from happening,
as well, and encourages people to be more vigilant, and it helps us
deter attacks from happening in the first place.
Q Do you have any idea of how much it costs to raise the
security level across the country?
MR. McCLELLAN: What's most important, when it comes to homeland
security, is protecting the American people and making sure that we are
doing everything we can to prevent attacks from happening in the first
place. And that is our priority. That is where our focus is.
Obviously there are costs associated with that. I don't have any
analysis of what those are.
Q Thank you.
MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you.
END 1:21 P.M. EST
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