Wednesday
Jan072004
White House Gaggle
Wednesday, January 7, 2004 at 1:00AM
By Jay Tamboli
President's Schedule:
The President began his day with two phone calls. He called Georgian President-elect Mikhail Saakashvili to congratulate him on his victory. The President expressed support for the plans to advance democratic and market economic reforms. Both leaders look forward to meeting. The President then called Mexican President Vicente Fox to discuss immigration reforms to be announced this afternoon. The President then had his morning briefings and a meeting with the Secretary of Defense. He will participate in an RNC luncheon with Republican Party supporters. At 2:45 in the East Room he will announce immigration reforms. This afternoon he will meet with the Secretary of State. The White House will brief at 12:30, and the State Department at 12:00. On Ask the White House this morning is NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe.
Immigration:
Questioning focused on the "new temporary worker program" to be announced this afternoon. "The President believes strongly that we should have an immigration policy that is fair and an immigration policy that makes our nation more secure." Asked what kinds of sanctions will be placed on employers who do not comply with the policies, McClellan said the President will talk about the "responsibilities that employers have," including first looking for American workers to fill jobs. He expects these changes to strengthen border security, since it will be easier to keep track of workers who are documented. Questions were asked about new paperwork loads resulting from this program, and he responded that the President will work with Congress to increase the number of green cards issued. McClellan was repeatedly asked about the effects of the new policies on citizenship, and he responded that the new program would not give "an automatic path to citizenship." Participants in the program would still need to achieve permanent residency status and go through the "normal process." The permits will last for three years, so, McClellan says, "there is an incentive for them to return home." McClellan was asked if a spouse of a permitted worker (who would be allowed to come with the worker if the worker can support the spouse) would be able to work as well, and he was asked about the status of children born to permitted workers while in the US. He responded that "you're probably getting further into the immigration laws than my brain goes at this point," but he seemed to say the spouse could work if the spouse also got a permit. McClellan would not give a goal for Congress's passing of the policy changes, saying only that the President hoped it would be "as soon as possible." The President will work with Congress on details of when the program will expire.
President's Schedule:
The President began his day with two phone calls. He called Georgian President-elect Mikhail Saakashvili to congratulate him on his victory. The President expressed support for the plans to advance democratic and market economic reforms. Both leaders look forward to meeting. The President then called Mexican President Vicente Fox to discuss immigration reforms to be announced this afternoon. The President then had his morning briefings and a meeting with the Secretary of Defense. He will participate in an RNC luncheon with Republican Party supporters. At 2:45 in the East Room he will announce immigration reforms. This afternoon he will meet with the Secretary of State. The White House will brief at 12:30, and the State Department at 12:00. On Ask the White House this morning is NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe.
Immigration:
Questioning focused on the "new temporary worker program" to be announced this afternoon. "The President believes strongly that we should have an immigration policy that is fair and an immigration policy that makes our nation more secure." Asked what kinds of sanctions will be placed on employers who do not comply with the policies, McClellan said the President will talk about the "responsibilities that employers have," including first looking for American workers to fill jobs. He expects these changes to strengthen border security, since it will be easier to keep track of workers who are documented. Questions were asked about new paperwork loads resulting from this program, and he responded that the President will work with Congress to increase the number of green cards issued. McClellan was repeatedly asked about the effects of the new policies on citizenship, and he responded that the new program would not give "an automatic path to citizenship." Participants in the program would still need to achieve permanent residency status and go through the "normal process." The permits will last for three years, so, McClellan says, "there is an incentive for them to return home." McClellan was asked if a spouse of a permitted worker (who would be allowed to come with the worker if the worker can support the spouse) would be able to work as well, and he was asked about the status of children born to permitted workers while in the US. He responded that "you're probably getting further into the immigration laws than my brain goes at this point," but he seemed to say the spouse could work if the spouse also got a permit. McClellan would not give a goal for Congress's passing of the policy changes, saying only that the President hoped it would be "as soon as possible." The President will work with Congress on details of when the program will expire.
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