Reviving immigration reform

last updated 8 January 2015

Santiago, Chile

President Bush this week said he would try to revive immigration reform to let undocumented Mexican laborers work legally in the U.S. Bush met with Mexican President Vicente Fox during an economic summit in Chile to discuss ways to jump-start the plan, which stalled in Congress shortly after Bush proposed it in January. Many conservatives oppose the measure, saying it amounts to amnesty for illegal immigrants. But Bush said that if the U.S. gave temporary legal status to undocumented workers, police would be better able to protect the border from terrorists and other dangerous criminals. “One way to make sure the border is secure is to have reasonable immigration policies,” Bush said.