Under Bush's proposal, which effectively amounts to an amnesty program for illegal immigrants with jobs in the United States, an undocumented worker could apply for temporary worker status here for an unspecified number of years, with all the employee benefits, like minimum wage and due process, accorded to those legally employed.
[..]Administration officials said Bush would also propose increasing the number of green cards issued each year, which is now about 140,000, but they did not provide a specific number.
[...]Bush entered office with immigration reform at the top of his foreign policy agenda, and in the late summer of 2001 various guest worker proposals were under intense discussion by United States and Mexican officials. [..]Currently, 140,000 are issued annually for workers who are sponsored by employers, with only 10,000 of those set aside for unskilled workers. Administration officials acknowledge that the wait for a green card can take up to six years or longer [..]"They're asking people to sign up for a program that is more likely to ensure their departure than ensure their permanent residency," said Cecilia Muñoz, vice president of National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy organization..
