Bush: massive deportation ‘unrealistic’

IRVINE ? President Bush showed no sign of backing away from a guest worker program in a Monday morning talk on immigration that prompted warm applause but left some Orange County politicians cold.

He proposed a “tamper-proof card” that would let foreign workers come to the U.S. legally “and do a job an American won’t do.” Critics, including Newport Beach Rep. John Campbell and Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor, didn’t embrace those concepts.

Bush spoke for an hour to about 450 people invited by the Orange County Business Council at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, while outside two separate crowds protested. One group criticized Bush for failing to enforce existing immigration laws, and the other included protesters calling for more humane immigration policies, an end to the Iraq war and other issues.

A few comments stood out from what was largely a by-the-numbers talk that touched on the Iraq war and major points of Bush’s immigration policy goals.

Massive deportation of people here illegally is “unrealistic,” he said, and he praised the approach taken by a Senate-approved bill that would allow illegal immigrants to pay a penalty, agree to learn English and “get in the back of the line” to become citizens.

Bush also stressed the importance of providing legal means for people to come and do jobs Americans won’t take. Those proposals don’t sit well with some Orange County officials.

Campbell said he was glad Bush talked about tougher enforcement of immigration laws, but he doesn’t think a tamper-proof card for workers would help with that.

“Someone’s going to have to convince me that there is such a thing. It’s very easy to get a fake driver’s license, it’s very easy to get a fake green card,” Campbell said. “I think that the best way to do it is what we put in the House bill ? to have employers, or anybody else for that matter, to be able to check those documents electronically.”

Mansoor, who didn’t attend the talk, said illegal immigrants are taking desirable jobs in construction and plumbing, for example, and that depresses wages for American workers.

“This whole baloney about taking jobs Americans don’t want is just that, baloney,” he said.

Asked if he thinks Costa Mesa’s plan to train police for immigration enforcement would be compatible with Bush’s goals, Mansoor said, “I’m not necessarily in agreement with what the President wants?. What I’m proposing in Costa Mesa is the very least the American public is expecting from their elected officials.”

Bush also said border security is a top priority for the federal government but added, “You can be a nation of law and a compassionate nation at the same time.”

The speech drew frequent applause from the audience, but it left Orange County Supervisor Jim Silva with questions. He said he wanted to hear Bush address the financial burden illegal immigration has created for California, such as the $10 million a year it costs to house inmates in the county jail who are here illegally.

“Those people are inmates in the county jail because the federal government has failed at securing our border,” Silva said.

“I just don’t think he [Bush] really understands the issues that California has with illegal immigration.”dpt.25-president-main-k-CPhotoInfoKO1Q9CO120060425iy8t3fncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)The president made a brief appearance in Orange County for a speaking engagement in Irvine. dpt.25-president-4-dl-CPhotoInfoKO1Q9CNQ20060425iy8szhncDON LEACH / DAILY PILOT(LA)The president made a brief appearance in Orange County for a speaking engagement in Irvine.