Bill Richardson

i come here todai as a border_state governor __PUNCT__ and a hispan __PUNCT__ american who know that our nation can no longer afford to ignor the issu of illeg_immigr __PUNCT__

i come here as a democrat who believ my parti ha an oblig as the new major_parti to pass comprehens legisl to reform our immigr_law __PUNCT__

and i come here as someon who believ it time for our leader to tell the simpl_truth about thi __PUNCT__ and everi other __PUNCT__ issu __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ there ar over __NUM___million million_illeg illeg_immigr in the unit_state __PUNCT__

most ar law abid __PUNCT__ except for the fact that thei have enter thi countri_illeg __PUNCT__

and almost all have come here to work __PUNCT__ to build a better life for themselv and their famili __PUNCT__ just as previou_gener of immigr have done __PUNCT__

eleven million_peopl peopl_live in the shadow is a huge problem __PUNCT__ and we need to address it intellig and thoughtfulli __PUNCT__ and urgent __PUNCT__

if congress fail to do so __PUNCT__ it will onli get wors __PUNCT__ and the demagogueri about it which we have heard so much of recent will onli get louder __PUNCT__

as the california __PUNCT__ born son of an american father and a mexican mother __PUNCT__ i have known immigr all my life and i know why thei come to america __PUNCT__

and as governor of new mexico i have known the problem of illeg_immigr all too well __PUNCT__ we live with thi issu everi dai in my state __PUNCT__

like it or not __PUNCT__ these peopl have becom part of the fabric of our economi and our cultur __PUNCT__

thei have broken the law to enter our countri __PUNCT__ but thei ar here __PUNCT__ there ar million of them build and clean our home and offic __PUNCT__ pick and cook our food __PUNCT__ care for our children __PUNCT__

these men and women ar here illeg __PUNCT__ but thei work_hard __PUNCT__ pai_tax __PUNCT__ and contribut to the commun thei live in __PUNCT__

america need to solv thi problem __PUNCT__ not tear itself apart over it __PUNCT__

i believ the american_peopl ar better than the demagogu think we ar __PUNCT__ and that the voter prove it on __DATE__ __PUNCT__

the most extrem candid lost across the countri __PUNCT__

seventi percent of hispan citizen vote_democrat __PUNCT__ and most non __PUNCT__ hispan also reject the divis polit of the anti __PUNCT__ immigr extremist __PUNCT__

i hope that the republican right __PUNCT__ wing learn it lesson and that sensibl senat and congressmen from both parti can now come togeth and address thi real_problem with real_solut __PUNCT__

i also hope that presid_bush __PUNCT__ whose rhetor ha been moder on thi issu __PUNCT__ will now step up and lead a bipartisan comprehens reform_effort __PUNCT__

think for a moment about the qualiti of life for an undocu_worker __PUNCT__

no protect from unscrupul employ __PUNCT__

no job benefit __PUNCT__

no health_care __PUNCT__ no pension __PUNCT__ no social_secur __PUNCT__ no worker compens __PUNCT__ no medicar or disabl insur __PUNCT__

yet __PUNCT__ despit what some peopl would have you think __PUNCT__ almost all of these worker_pai pai_tax __PUNCT__ includ social_secur and medicar tax __PUNCT__

becaus in order to find_work thei must either us someon els social_secur number or make on up __PUNCT__

sinc thei will never collect benefit __PUNCT__ these illeg_worker ar subsid our social_secur and medicar trust_fund with their payrol_tax __PUNCT__

and those who ar not pai into social_secur and medicar ar work under the tabl __PUNCT__ and ar at even greater risk of be exploit __PUNCT__

no minimum_wage __PUNCT__ no safeti_standard __PUNCT__ no over __PUNCT__ time __PUNCT__ no protect against sexual_harass or even sexual_abus __PUNCT__

mani worker chang job everi few month becaus their employ find out that their social_secur number is invalid or belong to someon els __PUNCT__

most undocu_immigr come to the unit_state to work low __PUNCT__ wage_job which few american want __PUNCT__ such as pick crop or clean toilet __PUNCT__

our economi creat demand for at least __NUM__ new low __PUNCT__ skill illeg_immigr per year __PUNCT__ but onli about __NUM__ ar allow to enter legal __PUNCT__

when demand and legal suppli ar so out of line __PUNCT__ the pressur for illeg immigr ar enorm __PUNCT__

and let not forget what kind of live the vast_major of illeg_immigr were live in their home_countri __PUNCT__ what propel them to come here in the first place __PUNCT__

econom_opportun and upward_mobil in mexico and central_american american_countri ar limit __PUNCT__ and half of all mexican live in poverti and a fifth live in extrem_poverti __PUNCT__

when there ar hundr of thousand of rel good pai new job avail everi year a few hundr_mile to the north the result is complet predict __PUNCT__

ye __PUNCT__ we ar talk about peopl who knowingli have broken the law __PUNCT__

and thei should be held_account __PUNCT__ like all lawbreak __PUNCT__

but we also ar talk about peopl who ar econom refuge __PUNCT__ and who contribut significantli to america_econom econom_success and to the econom and polit stabil of their home_countri __PUNCT__ with the billion in remitt thei send home to their famili everi year __PUNCT__

if we go to tell the truth we admit that entir sector of our economi reli on these labor __PUNCT__ construct __PUNCT__ restaur __PUNCT__ and agricultur __PUNCT__ for exampl __PUNCT__

without them __PUNCT__ mani american_busi simpli could not continu to function __PUNCT__

by some estim __PUNCT__ undocu_worker account for fulli __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of our nation_economi __PUNCT__

__NUM___million lawbreak is a daunt number __PUNCT__ and more arriv everi dai __PUNCT__

such widespread disregard for the law is corros of our civic cultur __PUNCT__ and must not be allow to continu __PUNCT__

a nation of law cannot allow million of undocu_immigr to live in the shadow and hundr of thousand more to enter the countri_illeg everi year __PUNCT__

for decad politician have pass_law on immigr with a wink and a nudg __PUNCT__ with no intent of follow through and make sure those law were enforc __PUNCT__

for far too long __PUNCT__ the immigr debat ha been about elector_polit __PUNCT__ not about polici __PUNCT__

we need more honest leadership than that __PUNCT__

we need to stop exploit the immigr_problem __PUNCT__ and start solv it __PUNCT__

we need to pass realist law and then enforc them rigor __PUNCT__

despit the campaign rhetor __PUNCT__ i refus to believ that most hous_republican realli favor try to round up __NUM___million_peopl __PUNCT__ separ them from their children who ar citizen __PUNCT__ and deport them en_mass __PUNCT__

but that what the bill thei pass in the hous of repres on __DATE__ would requir __PUNCT__

american don't want that and i believ the result of the __NUM___elect prove it __PUNCT__

onli in a few race for local offic in commun that have been dramat transform in recent_year by illeg_immigr wa anybodi defeat for public_offic becaus thei support a moder approach to the problem __PUNCT__

certainli no congression or gubernatori candid wa defeat for that reason __PUNCT__

i got almost __NUM__ percent of the vote for governor thi year in new mexico __PUNCT__ __NUM__ percent more than in __NUM__ when i wa first elect __PUNCT__ and new mexico is a swing_state __PUNCT__

thi is after i implement a polici to grant driver_licens without regard to legal_resid __PUNCT__

as a result of thi polici we got the percentag of uninsur driver down from __NUM__ percent to __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__

new mexican want our road to be safe and the driver who rear __PUNCT__ end them to be insur __PUNCT__

we want our highwai cop to focu on catch drunk driver __PUNCT__ not illeg_immigr __PUNCT__

the feder_govern ha fail to deal with illeg_immigr __PUNCT__ forc state governor to deal with the consequ of thi failur __PUNCT__

governor must promot public_safeti and ensur that all resid of the state __PUNCT__ welcom or unwelcom __PUNCT__ legal here or not __PUNCT__ ar product __PUNCT__ self __PUNCT__ support __PUNCT__ and law abid contributor to our commun __PUNCT__

but treat illeg_immigr like human be won't make the problem go awai __PUNCT__

we also need to face up to the problem __PUNCT__ and that begin with better border_secur __PUNCT__

last year i declar a state of emerg along our border with mexico becaus the situat there had gotten out of hand __PUNCT__

nobodi wa address the issu in washington __PUNCT__ d.c __PUNCT__ and crime __PUNCT__ drug and lawless were out of control __PUNCT__

i also wa the first governor to meet presid_bush request to send nation_guard troop to the border __PUNCT__ becaus the situat is a nation_secur concern as well __PUNCT__

al_qaeda took decad to find a wai to hit america hard and terrorist ar still out there __PUNCT__ probe __PUNCT__ plot __PUNCT__ and prepar for their next attack __PUNCT__

i know that full well from my diplomat experi __PUNCT__

if there a wai for them to get into thi countri and attack us again thei will find it __PUNCT__

we need to stop them __PUNCT__ and border_secur is essenti to do so __PUNCT__

i believ in recogn the realiti of the immigr_problem and address it head __PUNCT__ on __PUNCT__

i reject both the cheap rhetor we heard in thi year campaign __PUNCT__ and i reject the fear of some democrat that take action will caus our parti_polit harm __PUNCT__

we should seek a bipartisan solut to the problem of illeg_immigr __PUNCT__ and i believ such a solut is at hand __PUNCT__

we have a uniqu opportun to deal with thi issu in __NUM__ and if we let it pass we might not get anoth opportun for year to come __PUNCT__

illeg immigr ha doubl in the past ten_year and if it is not address it could doubl again in the next ten year __PUNCT__

think of the demagogueri we will hear then __PUNCT__ so i am call on the democrat_congress to act swiftli to work with the presid and solv thi problem __PUNCT__

and it can be solv by take four realist step __PUNCT__ secur the border __PUNCT__ increas legal_immigr __PUNCT__ prevent employ from hire_illeg illeg_worker __PUNCT__ and provid a path to legal for most of the __NUM___million million_illeg illeg_immigr alreadi here __PUNCT__

secur the border must come first __PUNCT__ but we must understand that build a fenc will not in ani wai accomplish that object __PUNCT__

no fenc ever built ha stop histori and thi on wouldn't either __PUNCT__

the congress should abandon the fenc __PUNCT__ lock __PUNCT__ stock __PUNCT__ and barrel __PUNCT__

it fli in the face of america as a symbol of freedom __PUNCT__

thi is what we should do __PUNCT__ immedi put enough nation_guard troop at the border to keep it cover until we can secur it with border_patrol offic __PUNCT__

that should take no longer than three year __PUNCT__

if it take anoth year __PUNCT__ let do it __PUNCT__

second __PUNCT__ we must hire and train enough border guard to actual cover the entir border __PUNCT__

i have spent a lot of time at the border and i know we cannot secur it with a fenc __PUNCT__ but we can secur it with enough train border patrol offic __PUNCT__

i propos doubl the number of border_patrol_agent from approxim___NUM__ __PUNCT__ thousand to __NUM__ __PUNCT__ thousand __PUNCT__

that would secur the border __PUNCT__

and you could more than pai for it with the fund for the first segment of that ill __PUNCT__ advis fenc between __PUNCT__ mexico and the unit_state __PUNCT__

real secur __PUNCT__ real result __PUNCT__ at a fraction of the financi or polit cost __PUNCT__

third __PUNCT__ we should give the border_patrol the benefit of the best surveil equip avail to our militari __PUNCT__

and __PUNCT__ as suggest by texa congresswoman sheila jackson lee __PUNCT__ a leader on immigr_issu __PUNCT__ we should implement a system of __PUNCT__ inform visa __PUNCT__ and cash reward for alien who provid law_enforc with inform on human traffick and document forger __PUNCT__

we should establish a __PUNCT__ fraudul document task_forc __PUNCT__ to constantli updat law_enforc and border offici on the latest fraudul document be market for entri into the unit_state __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ we have to work_close with the mexican_govern __PUNCT__

illeg_immigr is __PUNCT__ at it root __PUNCT__ primarili an econom_problem __PUNCT__ mexican need job and incom __PUNCT__ and mexico benefit greatli from illeg_immigr to the unit_state __PUNCT__

it is a safeti valv for their unemploi __PUNCT__ and a major_sourc of revenu in their economi __PUNCT__ from the monei illeg_worker here send home __PUNCT__

under present condit __PUNCT__ the mexican just don't have enough incent to give us the help we need at the border __PUNCT__

mexico need to do more to stem the flow __PUNCT__

but if we creat a reason guest_worker_program and provid a path to legal for illeg_immigr alreadi here __PUNCT__ as i will discuss in a moment __PUNCT__ there is everi reason to expect mexico to do it part to creat more job in mexico and to help us with border_secur __PUNCT__

the mexican __PUNCT__ after all __PUNCT__ also suffer great harm from the lawless at the border __PUNCT__ from drug smuggl and the simpl miseri of peopl try again and again to get into the unit_state illeg __PUNCT__

but don't expect the mexican_govern to do anyth if we go to talk about build a berlin __PUNCT__ style wall and deport million of latino __PUNCT__

two week_ago i met with mexican_presid calderon and he told me he is will to do work with us to stop illeg_immigr __PUNCT__ if the unit_state is will to address the crisi honestli and realist along with him __PUNCT__

if we refrain from build the fenc __PUNCT__ which __PUNCT__ as i have said __PUNCT__ is a wast of monei anywai __PUNCT__ i believ that the mexican would to step in with real effort to help us patrol the border more effect __PUNCT__

we need to build a special_relationship with our neighbor to the south __PUNCT__ so that we can jointli patrol the border __PUNCT__ and work togeth on creat more job for mexican at home in mexico __PUNCT__

presid_bush need to address thi issu with mexico aggress and realist __PUNCT__

he need to us hi last two year to turn presid calderon good_intent into good effort __PUNCT__

on of the reason for my meet with presid calderon wa to pitch a plan to develop border infrastructur to move good through the free __PUNCT__ trade zone along the border __PUNCT__ revit commun on both side of the border and creat much __PUNCT__ need job __PUNCT__

thi kind of action take face __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ face diplomaci __PUNCT__ someth thi countri ha been far too reluct to engag in late __PUNCT__

i believ mani problem can be solv by face them head __PUNCT__ on __PUNCT__ face __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ face __PUNCT__

my entir career ha been base larg on that principl __PUNCT__

earlier todai __PUNCT__ i wa veri proud to stand with secretari gener insulza of the organ of american_state __PUNCT__ who ha appoint me as a special envoi to the oa for hemispher relat __PUNCT__

i will work on special assign in latin_america at the request of the secretari __PUNCT__ with a special focu on econom_develop and immigr __PUNCT__

it would be my goal to demonstr to oa member_state that thei have an equal respons to solv the immigr_problem __PUNCT__ and work togeth on mani import_issu __PUNCT__

onc the border is secur we must make it possibl for employ to meet legal their unskil labor need __PUNCT__

rais the minimum_wage to __MONEY__ dollar an hour will motiv more american to fill some of these job __PUNCT__ but most low __PUNCT__ wage_job will still need to be fill by immigr __PUNCT__ becaus there simpli ar not enough american who want them __PUNCT__

if the us economi need these worker __PUNCT__ it is in our nation_interest to let more of them come legal __PUNCT__ by increas combin legal quota for temporari and perman taxpai immigr to __NUM___worker per year __PUNCT__

to keep famili togeth __PUNCT__ we also should doubl the number of famili_member visa __PUNCT__ from __NUM__ to __NUM__ __PUNCT__

we also need to improv the effici and transpar of our legal_immigr machineri __PUNCT__ which is plagu by long delai and huge backlog __PUNCT__

we need clearer procedur and more rapid and effici process of immigr petit __PUNCT__ so that fewer_peopl will seek to evad the legal process __PUNCT__ and more can be admit legal __PUNCT__

the mccain __PUNCT__ kennedi legisl_pass by the senat thi year provid an excel framework for a guest_worker_program __PUNCT__ pai an applic fee __PUNCT__ undergo a medic_examin and a background_check __PUNCT__ the initi work period would be three year and it could be extend for up to three more year __PUNCT__ if you out of work for more than __NUM___dai you must return to your home_countri or last countri of resid __PUNCT__ you can chang employ __PUNCT__ but if you break the law you must leav __PUNCT__

those ar realist and sustain requir __PUNCT__

the number of guest_worker allow at ani on time must be base upon the need of the us economi __PUNCT__

the goal must be to meet demand for job that go unfil by american_citizen __PUNCT__ and no more __PUNCT__

increas the minimum_wage will help __PUNCT__ but we must make certain that no american lose a job becaus of a guest_worker_program __PUNCT__

enforc of our minimum_wage wage_law also must improv __PUNCT__ ani employ who pai less than the minimum_wage to ani worker must face both high fine and a high probabl of get caught __PUNCT__

we also must expand employ __PUNCT__ train for low __PUNCT__ wage american_worker __PUNCT__

we also need a nation system to reliabl and instantan verifi the legal_statu of everi job applic and worker __PUNCT__

we cannot stop illeg_immigr if we continu to look the other wai on illeg employ __PUNCT__

we need a nation __PUNCT__ non __PUNCT__ duplic electron worker identif document to be us exclus for employ purpos __PUNCT__

such a system must come with legal_protect against it be us to discrimin in hire practic __PUNCT__ as well as privaci safeguard __PUNCT__

after the institut of such an id system __PUNCT__ employ will have no excus __PUNCT__ those who knowingli hire undocu_worker must face seriou and certain penalti __PUNCT__

those who hire_illeg illeg_immigr ar law __PUNCT__ breaker too __PUNCT__ and like illeg immigr themselv __PUNCT__ thei must be held to account for break the law __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ there is the question of the statu of the __NUM___million million_illeg illeg_immigr who ar here todai __PUNCT__

the legisl_pass last __DATE__ by the republican hous of repres wa a monument to demagogueri __PUNCT__

it actual propos make felon of __NUM___million_peopl and round them up for deport __PUNCT__

clearli __PUNCT__ thi would be imposs to do __PUNCT__

the number of illeg_immigr is five time the number of inmat in all american prison combin __PUNCT__

our economi could not stand the shock of lose all these worker __PUNCT__ and our nation conscienc would not counten arrest million of men __PUNCT__ women and children __PUNCT__

we did thi to japanes american in __NUM__ and we rightfulli regret that abandon of basic american decenc __PUNCT__

so the choic is clear __PUNCT__ either we leav __NUM___million_peopl in limbo and let them be join by million more __PUNCT__ or we devis a path to earn legal __PUNCT__

you certainli can't enact a guest_worker_program without deal with the million alreadi here __PUNCT__ and the econom_realiti is that the demand for worker will be met with immigr on wai or anoth __PUNCT__

provid a path to earn legal is not amnesti __PUNCT__ albeit some will call it that __PUNCT__

let them __PUNCT__ fear monger spent hundr of million of dollar try to call it amnesti __PUNCT__ and the american_peopl saw through it __PUNCT__

poll_show that larg_major of american favor provid illeg_immigr a path to legal __PUNCT__

still __PUNCT__ the path to legal should recogn that law have been broken __PUNCT__

the presenc of most of them benefit thi countri __PUNCT__ but there must be account __PUNCT__

almost all illeg_worker worker_pai into the social_secur and medicar trust_fund __PUNCT__

by legal them __PUNCT__ thei all will __PUNCT__

and to be legal __PUNCT__ thei should be requir to pai ani other back tax thei ow __PUNCT__

thei also should pai a fine for break the law __PUNCT__

and thei must learn_english and have a clean record __PUNCT__

if thei meet all of these requir __PUNCT__ we should sai __PUNCT__ welcom to america __PUNCT__

you now a legal worker __PUNCT__

just rememb __PUNCT__ you our guest and you must continu to follow these rule __PUNCT__ and those that don't will face the consequ __PUNCT__

and with instantan worker verif in place __PUNCT__ we be abl to do it __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ let me return to the subject of famili __PUNCT__

our constitut state unambigu that if you ar born in the unit_state you ar a citizen of thi countri and you ar guarante equal_protect under all of our law __PUNCT__

it estim that more than __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of all illeg_immigr have children who thu ar citizen of the unit_state __PUNCT__

if we requir their parent to leav what would becom of the minor_children __PUNCT__ would thei be made ward of the state somehow __PUNCT__ thei cannot be requir to leav along with their parent __PUNCT__

thi is on of the reason why i believ the legisl wa pass in the hous without ani intent of it ever becom law __PUNCT__ which is transpar dishonest leadership __PUNCT__

and i believ the propon of immigr_reform have noth to fear from those who have resort to such tactic __PUNCT__

the voter ar fed up with that kind of polit and thei ar fed up with the failur to address press_problem like illeg_immigr __PUNCT__

most democrat in the hous of repres vote against the republican bill to crimin illeg immigr and democrat ar now in charg of the hous __PUNCT__

a bipartisan major in the senat_pass the mccain __PUNCT__ kennedi bill __PUNCT__

that major grew larger on elect_dai __PUNCT__

and presid_bush support a guest_worker_program and a path to legal __PUNCT__

the new polit lineup in washington mean that congress ha the number to pass a comprehens_immigr immigr_reform law next year which the presid will sign __PUNCT__

we have a histor opportun to solv a problem that is tear our countri apart __PUNCT__

we must not miss thi chanc __PUNCT__

the democrat agenda for the next congress is an excel on __PUNCT__ rais the minimum_wage __PUNCT__ get lobbyist out of the busi of write legisl __PUNCT__ allow medicar to negoti for the lowest possibl prescript_drug legisl __PUNCT__ enact all of the 9/11_commiss recommend __PUNCT__ and chang the cours of our iraq_polici __PUNCT__

immigr_reform must be ad to the top of that list __PUNCT__

the democrat won the elect and the price of leadership is do what right for america __PUNCT__

thank you veri much __PUNCT__