Chertoff to immigration bill's critics: Get real

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff acknowledged that there is "a fundamental unfairness" in a bill that permits illegal immigrants to stay.

By Kathy Kiely and David Jackson, USA TODAY
McLEAN, Va. — Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Wednesday said Republican conservatives working to block an immigration bill risk endorsing a "silent amnesty" by insisting on deportations that are "not going to happen."
Chertoff also leveled criticism at liberal immigrant rights advocates, saying they could prolong the anguish of immigrant families by withholding support for legislation that could make them legal.

OUR VIEW: Bill is credible start to formidable task
OPPOSING VIEW: No amnesty for illegals

His warnings came in an 80-minute appearance he and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez made before the USA TODAY editorial board. The two men's appearance is a preview of a media blitz by the Bush administration as Congress prepares to go on a week-long Memorial Day recess that will give both sides in the emotional debate a chance to sway senators on a bill President Bush wants as part of his legacy.

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The Homeland Security secretary said he canceled an overseas trip to help. In addition, the president is expected to stump for the bill next week and a "rapid response" team is countering critics, not only in the conventional media but, for the first time, on Internet blogs, said White House communications director Kevin Sullivan. The president's press secretary, Tony Snow, already has debated talk radio host Rush Limbaugh and TV commentator Lou Dobbs, both critics of the bill.

Chertoff acknowledged that there is "a fundamental unfairness" in a bill that permits illegal immigrants to stay. But trying to force them to leave would be impossible, Chertoff said: "We are bowing to reality."

He dismissed the argument of Republican conservatives, such as Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., who argue that illegal immigrants will leave if strict enforcement of U.S. laws makes it impossible for them to find a job.

"You're not going to replace 12 million people who are doing the work they're currently doing," Chertoff said. "If they don't leave, then you are going to give them silent amnesty. You're either going to let them stay or you're going to be hypocritical."

Bilbray said his idea hasn't worked because "there's been a conscious strategy of not enforcing the law."

Chertoff, whose department has staged a number of recent raids that have resulted in mass roundups of illegal workers and sharp protests from religious groups, warned there will be more if the workers don't get a chance to become legal. "We're going to enforce the law," he said. "People all around the country will be seeing teary-eyed children whose parents are going to be deported."

Both he and Gutierrez warned that major changes could kill the compromise bill.

Kevin Appleby of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rejected what he called the "take it or leave it" argument. "The groups who represent those who don't have a voice in the debate want to get the best deal possible," he said.

Gutierrez addressed another controversial aspect of the immigration bill, a program to expand the number of foreigners who can work temporarily in the U.S. The Senate on Thursday voted to reduce the number of guest workers from 400,000 to 200,000 a year, a move Gutierrez called "a bit concerning."

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The U.S. needs more foreign workers as baby boomers retire, the Commerce secretary said. His department's figures show the population aged 25-54 growing at 0.2% a year while the workforce is growing at 1.2% a year.

"The reality is, we don't have enough people," said Gutierrez, adding that many of the United States' economic competitors, such as France, Germany, Japan and China, will be facing a similar demographic shift. "The big challenge of the 21st century is: who gets the people? Who gets the immigrants?" he said. "We don't appreciate today that these people are coming in for free."