Secretary's Speech

Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez Remarks to the Federalist Society, D.C. Chapter
Washington, D.C.

Thank you for that kind introduction.

I'm glad to be here with Federalist Society members in Washington. You are known for offering opportunities for healthy debate on public policy, and encouraging members to become involved in important issues.

Immigration is one of those issues. In fact, I believe it is the domestic social issue of our time.

America has dealt with difficult immigration issues in the past. There have been large waves of immigrants from Asia, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, throughout our history.

In fact, proportionately, we have fewer foreign-born people living in the United States today than we did in 1890. In 1890, 14.8 percent of our population was foreign-born. In 2004, 12 percent was foreign-born.

So, the challenges of immigration are not new for America, and I believe they create tremendous opportunities.

We are competing in a global economy. Many countries, including Germany, China and Japan will face declining populations in the future.

We have an incredible advantage. We can stand out from the pack by using our well-honed skills from 230 years of assimilating immigrants.

But to address the challenges of illegal immigration, take advantage of the opportunities, and strengthen our country for the rest of the century, we must show leadership. We must face reality. We must deal with immigration as it is, not as we wish it were.

We must thoughtfully work through the issues, and avoid letting emotion take over the debate.

I am encouraged that we are starting to reach some consensus:

• Last week, more than 500 of our nation's top economists--including five Nobel Laureates--sent a letter to President Bush and all members of Congress. These economists (with diverse political views) stated unequivocally that immigration has been a net gain for American citizens.
• And a new survey reports that 75 percent of Republican voters say they favor comprehensive immigration reform. 72 percent of Republicans also say it's "extremely" or "very important" that Congress address immigration this year.

President Bush's Vision for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

• Protects our borders--Our immigration system can't work if we can't control our borders
• It recognizes the needs of a growing economy

Our economy is growing faster than any other large, industrialized nation.

The reality is that we have jobs that American citizens either aren't willing to do or aren't available to do.

Our unemployment rate is below the average of the past four decades. I continually hear from industries that they are having difficulty finding workers.

We need sources of labor from other countries to fill jobs that aren't getting filled.

The President's proposal upholds our values. We are both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

1. Priority number one in the President's comprehensive proposal is securing our borders.

The President has proposed:

• Increasing the number of Customs and Border Patrol agents from 12,000 to 18,000;
• Increasing the amount of technology we have at the borders, so we can know who is coming through;
• And improving processes to become more efficient.

One of the best ways to secure our borders is to have immigration enforcement inside our country--in the interior.

2. We need effective interior enforcement. That may be the best way to secure our borders.

Our system needs to be fixed.

We have an underground industry built on producing false documentation for illegal workers.

Employers have a hard time helping enforce the law because they are not sure what documents they should require.

• A Government Accountability Office report last year found that document fraud and the large number of documents acceptable for proving work eligibility have caused significant confusion among employers. (August 2005)

The rules must be clear enough to hold businesses accountable for hiring people with the proper documentation. With comprehensive reform, we will ensure that businesses have the tools they need to do this, and that we can hold them accountable.

That's why we need a temporary worker's permit. It would create a legal means for workers to enter the United States for a limited time.

And we need a biometric card identification system. We have the technology today to quickly and effectively use a person's unique characteristics, such as a fingerprint, to verify immigration status.

When we have a biometric system--and we have a temporary worker's permit--dynamics will change.

Over time, it will become unlikely that people will risk their lives coming across the border illegally if it is well known that unless you have the temporary worker's permit, you will not find a job.

This is one of the most consequential things we can do to make our borders more secure. And it demonstrates the wisdom of comprehensive immigration reform.

3. The other reality we must confront is that we have 12 million people who are in the country illegally. This issue will not be resolved by ignoring it, or waiting longer to confront it.

Think about the task of deporting 12 millions individuals. Is that something we are going to do as a country? The President has said it wouldn't be wise, practical, or humane.

It would require separating parents from their 3 million American-born children. Some say the children could decide if they go with their parents or stay. Can you imagine that?

Mass deportation is an extreme position, and it's not realistic.

The other extreme is amnesty. The dictionary defines amnesty as an "unconditional pardon--obliterating all memory of the offense." The President's plan is not amnesty, and it's not accurate or fair to call it amnesty.

We're talking about having a hard-earned path to legalization, which would require meeting conditions:

• People waiting their turn in line
• Paying fines
• Paying taxes
• Learning English, and
• Undergoing a criminal background check

The issues of illegal immigration are far too complex to presume they can be solved with one easy action.

What we need is leadership and reasonable compromise in the middle. We need to be talking about the right mix of immigration reform that addresses all the issues--and acknowledges that extremes aren't viable.

4. The other important point that President Bush makes is that we are a nation of immigrants.

And immigrants have helped make this country great. All of us here today--unless you are Native American--are immigrants or descendents of immigrants.

I'll give you my personal perspective: I came to this country in 1960 from Cuba. I was a six-year-old immigrant. On January 4, 1966, I formally became a U.S. citizen. To this day, my U.S. passport is my most valued material possession.

I'm extremely grateful that people encouraged--even pushed me--to learn the language and assimilate.

I'm also very thankful for the opportunities this country has given me. I believe that immigrants today just want an opportunity.

It is a false choice to think the immigration debate is a battle between America being a welcoming society and being a nation of laws.

We can be both because we are both. I ask you to commit yourself to comprehensive immigration reform. We all need to contribute to the solution.

Comprehensive immigration reform will make our country stronger, and I'm convinced that future generations will be proud of what we did. Thank you, and God bless you.