US: President George W Bush has ruled out an amnesty for illegal immigrants in the United States and called for more money, manpower and technology to fortify the country's borders.
Speaking in Tucson, Arizona, at the start of a major White House campaign for immigration reform, Mr Bush said the US's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for a three-year temporary work visa. The visa could be renewed once, but after six years immigrants would have to return to their own country for a year before applying for a new visa.
The plan, he said, "would not create an automatic path to citizenship, it wouldn't provide for amnesty - I oppose amnesty. Rewarding those who have broken the law would encourage others to break the law and keep pressure on our border."
The president's insistence that those on temporary work visas must go home after six years will disappoint lobbyists for undocumented Irish citizens in the US. They support a proposal from Senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy that would create an automatic path to citizenship after the temporary visa expires.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern will discuss immigration reform with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington tomorrow. The Government has made the plight of undocumented Irish citizens a priority in its relationship with the US.
Immigration reform is one of the most divisive issues in US politics, particularly within the Republican party. Pro-business Republicans want to regularise the position of illegal immigrants, who form an important, inexpensive part of the labour force.
But many conservatives insist that sealing the border with Mexico, perhaps with a 2,000-mile fence, should be the priority. They say that the flow of illegal immigrants must be stopped before a temporary worker scheme is introduced.
Mr Bush promised to repatriate every illegal Mexican entrant crossing the border and to speed up the deportation of immigrants from other countries. The government will expand a programme that enables employers to check employees' identity documents against a federal database to ensure they are genuine.
"America has always been a compassionate nation that values the newcomer and takes great pride in our immigrant heritage; yet we're also a nation built on the rule of law, and those who enter the country illegally violate the law. The American people should not have to choose between a welcoming society and a lawful society," Mr Bush said.
The House of Representatives and the US Senate will consider a number of immigration bills over the next few months and the White House hopes to have a comprehensive reform package approved by March.