Why Guest Workers?: Plan offers real chance for immigration reform

Dallas Morning News | Editorials:

"Don't think of a guest-worker program as a way out of legal trouble for illegal immigrants; think of it as a way out of an immigration mess for the United States."

President Bush's support for a guest worker program is welcome. He and the DMN should quit trying to pretend it's something else. It is a way out of legal trouble for illegal immigrants. It is an amnesty program, with terms and conditions. Denying the obvious may be a way to sell the need for immigration reform, but it's not honest. With that in mind, here are some more direct answers to the questions DMN raises.

Isn't a "guest-worker program" just code for "amnesty"? Yes. Like it or not, an amnesty program is necessary.

But those here already wouldn't be punished? No. But there will be conditions on receiving amnesty.

Wouldn't deportation be punishment? Yes, it would be, but deporting 11 million illegal aliens is impractical, disruptive and even dangerous to American citizens.

What message does a guest worker program send to immigrants who have followed our laws? That they will now be treated better themselves, instead of always being automatically assumed to be among the 11 million illegal immigrants.

Why not focus on beefing up the Border Patrol first? That's a good goal, too.