This 5 page paper summarizes an article in the February 4, 2004 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education, entitled An Old New Immigration Policy, Flaws and All written by Roger Daniels. This essay summarizes the article and then responds to the question: Is President Bush's proposal for immigration new or is one that is historical and traditional. The President proposed a temporary-worker permit allowing illegal aliens to gain legal status as a temporary worker for a period of time and then to return to their homeland after that time. This essay includes prior immigration acts, especially those addressing illegal aliens, as reported by Daniels. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Name of Research Paper File: MM12_PGilgal.rtf
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The essay first summarizes the article and then comments on whether this is a new policy on immigration or a traditional, historical type of immigration policy. President Bush, in his
State of the Union address, outlined a proposal for illegal immigrants which he referred to as a temporary-worker policy. The policy has four goals, according to the President: 1. To
help control American borders (Daniels, 2004, p. 20). 2. To serve the nations economic needs (Daniels, 2004, p. 20). 3. To avoid giving "unfair rewards" to illegal immigrants as related
to the citizenship process (Daniels, 2004, p. 20). 4. To provide incentives to temporary foreign workers to return to their homes permanently after their work permit expires (Daniels, 2004, p.
20). The policy directly aids agricultural interests in Southwestern America as well as in other low-wage industrial areas. Daniels strongly argues that the Presidents new policy is one
that mimics past policies related to the same issue. Although, Bush strongly asserted this new policy is not amnesty, a review of past policies suggests it is very much like
amnesty. The author reports that "the ideal of the retractable immigrant worker is an old one" (Daniels, 2004, p. 20). There is a history of the country inviting low-paid workers
into the country in times of need. During World War I, for instance, workers who were otherwise considered undesirable for citizenship to enter the U.S. temporarily to fill the labor
shortage. At least one-quarter-million Mexicans came over the borders, these were the ones who were photographed and identified. There may have been any number who did not come in legally.
They worked in mines, on the railroads, on farms and in industrial plants. Some went as far as Chicago for work. Large numbers never went home. In the 1920s,