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Welcome words

February 17, 2011

By Staff Reporter

Of course, the speech did not allow for time to fully explain what the president believes is actually comprehensive. There are clearly degrees. But it would seem pretty clear that Mr. Bush, while especially enthusiastic in his desire to offer a temporary guest-worker program, is also eager to tackle the reality of millions of undocumented immigrants, many thousands of Irish in their midst, who must walk through their daily lives as if on broken glass.
The president wants to address the matter of the undocumented without animosity, as he put it, but while also avoiding amnesty. Mr. Bush has not yet sketched out what he believes to be the kind of reform bill that might fall into this latter category.
We hope that he sends clear signals in this regard to Capitol Hill as the effort in Congress to reform immigration law gathers momentum.
Clearly, there is every opinion imaginable with regard to reform floating around the House and Senate. What eventually emerges will inevitably reflect considerable legislative compromise.
But it is to be hoped that those undocumented who have otherwise abided with the law will be given a chance to apply for legal status. In all likelihood, there will be a cutoff date that will draw a line with regard to eligibility for earned legal status. Those in the country since before the cutoff date would qualify, those in the country since the date would be out of luck.
It is important then that the cutoff date not be too far in the distant past and that it cleaves as closely as possible to the actual date of a reform bill’s passage. That date, we hope, will be soon.

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