Guest Worker Program
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 In 2004 President Bush proposed a guest worker program as a way
to bring needed labor to the United States. Some speculated that this was
President Bush's way of giving back
to illegal immigrants. Bush discussed the important role that
immigrants have
played in the United States by shaping America into what it is today as well as
their significant contributions to the American economy. The United
States has had a tradition of welcoming foreigners into the country who have
tended to assimilate well into American culture. Bush mentioned that the growth
of immigrants over time has propelled the economy into the world’s largest and
has allowed the U.S. to be a model for other nations. Contributions of
immigrants continue to be
evident as they take on difficult jobs that many times require long hours.
Immigrants are also known as being entrepreneurs and often start their own businesses, which help
contribute to the U.S. economy. President Bush drew upon his personal
experiences as a Texan to point out how Mexican immigrants he knew had made a
difference in the country. He also added that they bring certain values with
them like family, work ethic, and independence. President Bush also cited the thousands of immigrants that currently serve in the military.
They may be foreign born but this did not deter them from embracing the service
opportunities that this country has to offer.
Bush emphasized the qualities that immigrants brought to the country and how the
United States was dependent upon them. Therefore, he suggested that changes in
the current immigration system needed to be introduced. Some employers take
advantage of the current situation of illegal immigrants by paying them less
than minimum wage and sometimes forcing them to work in inhumane circumstances. Many hard-working illegal immigrants find themselves fearing
deportation due to nationwide raids. Undocumented
immigrants also often live with the fear that someone will report them to authority figures
and that they might get deported. This can have many negative effects, such as
not reporting crimes to authorities. Bush stated that because the United States
ties up resources in patrolling the borders in order to prevent immigrants from entering the country
illegally, the overall efforts of the United States are hampered and resources
are wasted. Thus, President
Bush proposed the necessity of a better immigration system so that more
immigrants are able to achieve the American Dream.
Many immigrants come to the United
States with the intention of improving their lives through the many
opportunities offered in the country. Often, immigrants end up becoming
employed in sectors that don't attract
many American workers. Illegal immigrants make many sacrifices to reach the
United States and, unfortunately, often undergo abuse.
Other times they are exploited. Unfortunately, abuses and exploitation
often remain unreported due to fears of deportation. Bush criticized the
country's current immigration system, stating the regulations are not fair and
that laws need to become more humane. Under Bush’s proposed temporary worker
program, foreign workers would be given the opportunity to fill
jobs that are often not even considered by Americans.
Before a company can seek a foreign employee under the guest worker program, they must
first make
reasonable efforts to hire an American to fulfill the job vacancy. In the case that
the position remains unfilled, the employer can then try to hire an immigrant
who has a valid work permit. Employers will
be required to hire only those with a valid permit. In addition, employers must
report the information of their guest worker employees, so that the government
can keep track. Permits will be given for a three year period and would
be renewable upon meeting certain requirements. Those violating any requirements
or laws will have their permit revoked and will face deportation. The government will also enforce harsh penalties for
employers who violate any work laws under the guest worker program.
Those who participate in the guest worker program will be required to register and possibly
pay a fee. Applicable fees and registration would depend on whether they were currently residing in the
country or if they are currently abroad. In order to identify individuals in the program,
participants would be given a temporary worker card. It is proposed that the
U.S. government would also work closely with
the foreign governments to make sure that after the
work permit has expired, the foreign worker would
have incentives to return to their home country. In addition, there would
potentially be a way so that the temporary worker receives "credit" for
their work in America and it is applied to the retirement system in
the foreign country. The temporary workers would also be able to contribute part
of their earnings to some type of retirement savings plan. While the guest work program
proposed in 2004 was not approved, the guest worker program is speculated to be
among the forefront of immigration issues addressed in the upcoming year. The guest worker program
was previously part of the 2007 immigration reform bill that was not approved in
the Congress.
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