Dishonesty in high places: tough talk in President Bush's televised speech pressing for passage of a "guest worker" bill was meant to soothe conservatives' ruffled feathers, but it lacked credibility.(George W. Bush)

President Bush finally got the message--or so he would want everyone to believe. After huge demonstrations full of illegal immigrants and their supporters clogged the streets in numerous American cities, previously uninvolved Americans started demanding action to secure our southern border. So, Mr. Bush addressed the nation from the Oval Office on May 15 with a speech designed to ease America's fears and demonstrate his forceful leadership.

The problem is that he avoided telling the whole truth. He performed as would the warm and friendly neighbor who assured you that he would watch your home while you vacationed, but was planning all along to plunder the premises after you were gone. Posturing as a tough and compassionate leader, he acknowledged that "the United States has not been in complete control of its borders." He pointed to the enormous pressures illegal entrants had created on "public schools and hospitals," and on "state and local budgets." And he noted that the practically unimpeded flood of humanity crossing into our nation had brought "crime to our communities."

The Charade

In his speech, Mr. Bush told of five steps he would undertake to address the problem. Sounding resolute, he said the border must be "shut to illegal immigrants, as well as criminals, drug dealers, and terrorists." He announced plans to "increase the number of Border Patrol officers," "construct high-tech fences," and "employ motion sensors, infrared cameras, and unmanned aerial vehicles." Even more, he said he would deploy 6,000 National Guard members to support the work of the Border Patrol. And he added that he would terminate the infamous "catch and release" program that sees illegal immigrants apprehended but immediately released. It was a great performance, and it undoubtedly calmed the apprehensions of many Americans who wonder how 12 million illegal immigrants have so easily walked into our country.

While protesting his abhorrence of amnesty, Mr. Bush discussed creation of a "temporary work program," a plan labeled more realistically as "amnesty under a soothing name." And addressing the need to "hold employers to account for the workers they hire," he talked of creating "a new identification card for every legal foreign worker [that will have] biometric technology" to help employers in their hiring practices.

But if one examines the president's plans, one can see he is putting on a charade to appear tough on immigration--without actually slowing immigration at all. Although the president stated unequivocally that "the United States must secure its borders" in his May 15 address, he also stated that "to secure our border, we must create a temporary worker program" to relieve the pressure on the border. As the president put it:

 
   The reality is that there are many 
   people on the other side of our border 
   who will do anything to come 
   to America to work and build a better 
   life. They walk across miles of 
   desert in the summer heat, or hide 
   in the back of 18-wheelers to reach 
   our country. This creates enormous 
   pressure on our border that walls and 
   patrols alone will not stop. To secure 
   the border effectively, we must reduce 
   the numbers of people trying to 
   sneak across.