(10 Apr 2007)
1. US President George W. Bush walking towards podium
2. Cutaway of border control officers applauding
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President George W. Bush:
"Past efforts to reform did not do enough to secure our nation's borders, as a result many people have been able to sneak in to this country. If you don't man your borders and protect your borders, people are going to sneak in, and that's what's been happening for a long time.''
4. Wide of Bush at podium
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President George W. Bush:
"You cannot fully secure the border until you take pressure off the border and that requires a temporary worker programme. It seems to make sense to me that if you've got people coming here to do jobs that Americans aren't doing we need to figure out a way in which they can do so in a legal basis for a temporary period of time.''
6. Cutaway of border control officers listening
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) US President George W. Bush:
"So we're working closely with Republicans and Democrats to find a practical answer that lies between granting automatic citizenship to every illegal immigrant and deporting every illegal immigrant. It is impractical to take the position that, 'oh we'll just find the 11 (m) million or 12 (m) million people and just send them home.' It's an impractical position, it just won't work. It may sound good, it may make nice soundbite news. It won't happen.''
8. Wide of Bush at podium
9. Bush and officials walking towards "Predator," an unmanned plane that border officials use to monitor the region
10. Wide of Bush and officials standing in front of Predator plane
11. Wide pan of border fence and cars
12. Close-up of border patrol tower, pull out to wide of fence
STORYLINE:
US President George W. Bush said on Monday that the United States has toughened security along its border with Mexico and that it was time for the US Congress to approve legislation overhauling the nation's immigration laws.
At a Border Patrol station in the southwest desert city of Yuma, the president campaigned for a law to help people get temporary work in the United States or clear up their illegal status with a path to citizenship.
"You cannot fully secure the border until you take pressure off the border and that requires a temporary worker programme,'' Bush said.
"It seems to make sense to me that if you've got people coming here to do jobs that Americans aren't doing we need to figure out a way in which they can do so in a legal basis for a temporary period of time,'' he added.
The president's plan would grant work visas to undocumented immigrants, but require them to return home and pay hefty fines to become legal US residents.
They could apply for three-year work visas, dubbed "Z" visas, which would be renewable indefinitely, but cost 3,500 US dollars each time.
Bush said that past efforts at reform had not worked.
"Past efforts to reform did not do enough to secure our nation's borders, as a result many people have been able to sneak in to this country."
Stressing security, Bush added, "If you don't man your border and don't protect your borders, people are going to sneak in."
He also pushed his plan to let illegal residents become citizens, provided they pay fines, take steps to become well-rounded Americans and get behind others who have been waiting.
Bush said it was impractical to try to round up and send home 11 (m) million to 12 (m) million illegal immigrants. "It may sound good," he said, but "it won't happen."
Bush also looked at two new layers of fencing that have been erected at the border since he visited the same spot a year ago.
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