Administration Suddenly Getting Tougher on Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration is a real hot button issue with conservatives, and an area where the Bush administration has been sadly lacking. The porous borders, which Southwesterners see as a real threat, just hasn't seemed to register much on the administration's radar...until today. The administration, as outlined by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, have decided to get a lot tougher on those captured in the country illegally:

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff promised Tuesday to end the "catch and release" policy that has allowed tens of thousands of non-Mexican illegal aliens to disappear within the United States.

"Return every single illegal entrant - no exceptions," Chertoff said in prepared testimony to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on proposals to overhaul the immigration system.

Chertoff was joined by Labor Secretary Elaine Chao in presenting administration views on the illegal immigrant problem. He said President Bush remains committed to a comprehensive approach including gaining control of the border, enforcing workplace laws and establishing a temporary worker program.
[...]
Chertoff said that the nearly 900,000 Mexicans who are caught entering United States every year are returned immediately to Mexico, "but other parts of the system have nearly collapsed under the weight of numbers."

In the budget year that ended last month, the Border Patrol apprehended more than 160,000 non-Mexican nationals, but only 30,000 were removed from the United States. The others were released, often on their own recognizance, because there is no place to hold them. Few return for immigration hearings, he said.

Chertoff said it is should be possible to achieve significant progress in reversing that policy in less than a year, noting that his department's budget for fiscal 2006 includes $90 million in new money to add hundreds of beds. He said his agency also plans to expand use of an expedited removal program that could cut the average time in detention from 90 to 45 days.

This sudden interest in illegal immigration could likely be a response to the conservative anger over the Miers nomination. I think the White House is starting to realize that you can't take the conservative base for granted, and it might be a good idea to start paying attention to the issues conservatives find important.

We'll see whether Congress has what it takes to put together the necessary legislation.


illegal immigration; Michael Chertoff; Homeland Security