Bush says border solution includes swinging door

'Temporary worker program' to let people cross boundary needed

Posted: March 10, 2008 11:07 pm Eastern
WorldNetDaily

The solution to security issues on the U.S. border with Mexico will need to include some sort of swinging door so that workers can come and go as they want, according to the White House press secretary.

WND's correspondent at the White House, Les Kinsolving, asked spokeswoman Dana Perino:

"Reuters reports that our Customs and Border Protection Commissioner admits that the U.S. may not meet the goal of essentially stopping illegal immigration from Mexico by 2011. And my question: What does the president believe would help most in this effort, more border security personnel, more miles of border fence, or more enforcement of immigration regulations nationwide?"

"The president thinks that all of those issues are important, but he would add another measure, which is a temporary worker program so that we could have a legal mechanism for people who want to cross the border and work in America, but also want to go back home," she said.

The Reuters report cited an admission from Ralph Basham, commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who said in 2005 the government projected having "operational control" of the border within five years.

However, in testimony before Congress, he said the Secure Border Initiative included several assumptions, and some of those underlying events have not happened.