Immigration a thorny issue

President Bush is taking the high road to immigration reform.?The U.S. House of Representatives is taking the low road.?So far, the U.S. Senate seems to leaning more toward the president?s approach to resolving this thorny issue.

Last Monday night, President Bush outlined what he called a comprehensive strategy to overhaul the nation?s long-embattled?immigration system.

The president?s immigration reform strategy focuses on securing our border with Mexico, allowing a robust guest worker program, creating a path to eventual citizenship for some illegal immigrants, and punishing employers who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.

Securing our border with Mexico is the least controversial part of the president?s strategy.?After all, secure borders are essential to our national sovereignty and national security.?However, his plan to send some 6,000 National Guard troops to help the undermanned Border Patrol is taking flak, including some from his own party.

I think most of the criticism of using the National Guard to buttress the Border Patrol is unwarranted.?For starters, this would not be ?militarizing? border security, as some have charged.?Instead, the National Guard would be in a supportive role, performing functions that match their units? missions.?

Their tours of duty would be two to three weeks each, giving them credit for their annual active duty training requirements. Also, the president?s strategy envisions this use of the National Guard as a temporary measure, allowing the Border Patrol time to recruit, train, and deploy more of its own agents.

Creating a path to eventual citizenship for illegal immigrants is clearly the most controversial part of the president?s strategy.?His opponents, again including his own party, have called this proposal ?amnesty.?

They are, of course, entitled to their own opinions on this issue.?However, they are not entitled to their own facts. The fact is that amnesty means to pardon.?That is what President Carter did for the Vietnam War draft-dodgers and deserters.?

The president?s proposal is more analogous to a plea bargain than to outright amnesty.?In short, all is not forgiven.?Instead, the illegal immigrant admits the offense of illegal entry, pays whatever fines and penalties are levied by competent legal authority, then begins the long and tortuous path to U.S. citizenship from the back of the immigrant line.?

As of this writing, whose version of immigration reform will prevail remains to be seen.

I applaud President Bush for taking the high road on this issue.?His comprehensive plan addresses the complex nature and magnitude of the illegal immigration problem.?His proposals to solve this problem deserve the attention and support of? Congress.

President Bush can afford to be a statesman on this vexing issue.?He is immune from the election polls and indifferent to the opinion polls.?Not so for the House and Senate.?All of the former and about one-third of the latter must face the voters again this year, if they want to keep their jobs.?

Expect many of them to play politics with this issue, plus any others that will enhance their chances for re-election.

Thomas B. Vaughn is a professor at Motlow College and co-host of the radio show ?Viewpoints? on WCPI 91.3 FM.