Former President George W. Bush on Sunday called on Congress to set aside “harsh rhetoric” surrounding U.S. immigration.
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the Republican 43rd president urged lawmakers to work together to pass bipartisan legislation to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
“I do want to say to Congress, please put aside all of the harsh rhetoric about immigration, please put aside trying to score political points on either side. I hope I can help set a tone that is more respectful about the immigrant, which may lead to reform of the system,” Bush said.
The immigration section begins at the 2:40 mark of the video.
He described failing to pass similar legislation during his eight-year tenure as one of the greatest disappointments of his presidency.
“I campaigned on immigration reform. I made it abundantly clear to voters this is something I intended to do,” he said.
Bush proposed a bill that would create a pathway to citizenship for about 12 million undocumented immigrants while also increasing border security during his second term, but it ultimately failed to gain traction in the Senate in 2007.
Currently, Bush says he is lobbying Republicans for support on a measure that would create a pathway to citizenship provided that undocumented immigrants pass background checks and pay back taxes.
“Whether my own party listens to me or not’s another question,” he said.
Copyright 2021 United Press International, Inc. (UPI). Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI’s prior written consent.
—-
This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.
Sorry George, don’t really want to hear anything you say anymore ! Are you still crying about how Trump ruin your planned Bush Dynasty of Three Bush Presidents.? You should have backed Trump when he was elected , it would have been the RIGHT thing to do for the USA overall!
Dear George,
Use to think you were a pretty decent President, but putting out messages like this makes you no different than the illegal administration we are having to endure for the time being. Nothing more than another Rhino pulling themselves up out of the swamp to say your two cents, which no one cares about anymore.
Better stop blaming President Trump for your brothers loss also. He never would have made it even if President Trump had not been in the picture. Shame on you for taking offense and making your whole family look ridiculous
Sorry George, we don’t need or want your guidance. You were finished when you walked out the door !.
I used to respect him too.. BUT MORE AND MORE i see absolutely nothing about ANY in the bush family, deserving of ANY respect what so bloody ever.
You should check into the family back ground, before they pull it down off the net. Long history of Nazi connection…. they’re ALL part of the “club”…. not very “Godly like” to say the least. I personally held my nose and supported this … this… this… I can’t type it… they’ll just delete it… fill in your own blank.
I agree.. Stay retired with your Liberal attitude…When you understand the word ILLEGAL you might be listened to. IN the meantime pipe down!
There are many Americans that need the financial help you want to spend on ILLEGALS… Remember, Charity begins at home!
Bought and paid for establishment politician, who obviously does not understand that people who break our immigration laws will think nothing of breaking any of the others. His business contributors get rich while THE PEOPLE pay the price in crime and higher taxes. What does he not understand about the citizens having the ability individually to SELF-govern that collectively leads to the success of Americans ability to govern themselves. We tried his way and the criminals just got more freely imported, government educated and government enabled as financially capable of using our own tax money against us. If he is the face of what Republican is, we need to start a new party.
I couldn’t have worded it better. Thank you!
IMO its just cause he is like every damn democrat out there. FEELING WE shouldn’t be able to govern ourselves, only THE POLITICIANS should have that power.
Turncoat bush!!!
He’s not a Republican…hes a RINO! And no real Republican wants to hear from him!!!
Needs to crawl back under that rock he lives under
“Republican 43rd president urged lawmakers to work together to pass bipartisan legislation to create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants”. Yep, George W., give these illegal aliens a pathway to citizenship. Anyone who thinks that these clowns in Washington DC, will then seal the border, is an Airhead. So in essence, the United States will give the whole world amnesty and citizenship. This is the same Bush that gave us John Liberal Roberts. Like I have stated in prior posts, send all of the elitist Bushes, as they all voted for Hillary and Joe, to New York. The Bushes belong in New York with the Cuomos and de Blasio!!!!! Go away George W.
AMEN!!
I loved President Reagan and his decisions , all but the one giving in and handing out amnesty to illegal immigrants. A very big mistake by him and which ever of his advisors recommended it .
I have often said, THAT amnesty he signed, was one of the BIGGEST fubars reagan ever made.
George, there is a way already it’s called legal immigration.
AND since this nation as is, ALREADY TAKES IN MORE legal immigrants than most of the rest of the world put together… WHY SHOULD WE EVER give amnesty to the CROOKS who willfully stick their middle fingers up at our laws….?
Now George W. wants to “create a pathway to citizenship provided that undocumented immigrants pass background checks and pay back taxes”? What he should want is for the influx of undocumented immigrants coming into his state to stop!! Let’s get back to his 2007 proposal of increasing border security. Too bad he balked at that when it was Trump’s proposal. At this point, a lot of Texans agree with the Dixie Chicks’ opinion and are ashamed that he was a president from Texas.
GW Bush was such a disappointment… supporting all this amnesty for illegal alien criminals… by 2006, I was completely done with him.
AND since we’ve seen JUST HOW USELESS the fbi appears to be, at doing back round checks, what with the # of terrorists who “Slipped through the cracks”, the # of criminals who STILL GET guns even though are “on the FBI’s radar”, what makes him think for one instant, THAT THESE ILLEGAL invaders, will get properly vetted? ESPECIALLY when most have NO paperwork to validate!?!?!?!?!
GW Bush was such a disappointment…. heck, the entire GOP for that matter. From 2002-2006, the GOP controlled the white house and both branches of congress…. they could have pushed through bills to roll back all the anti-American **** that was passed in decades past… but they didn’t. That’s really telling. Dubya may as well have been a Democrat.
Right now i wonder, has there been ANYONE in the Bush clan, who actually was GOOD FOR THIS NATION?
No
Mr. Bush I did like you even though I did not agree with how you caved to the left. But the are illegal not undocumented. Citizenship NO rounded up and sent back yes.
This is ongoing rational as to why President Bush was so Lame as a leader !!! These are Illegal Immigrates who have No Right Being Within America. There are Immigration Laws for gaining Rightful Citizenship, which are Totally Being Ignored !!! This is a way for the New Radicalized Far Left Demoncrat Socialist Party along with the Deep Dark State to Further Their Evil Agenda to Bring Down America !!! This will bring down Our Economy, Our National and Personal Security and Our Society !!! There will be No End To This Invasion and Insurrection Upon We The People and Our True American Values !!!!
Wake Up America, We Are In Very, Very Serious and Dire Danger “FROM WITHIN ” !!!!!
There is a pathway to citizenship … IT IS CALLED LEGAL IMMIGRATION.. COME HERE, FOLLOW THE LAWS, WORK, PAY TAXES AND WORK TO “EARN” CITIZENSHIP….. It should NOT be just handed to illegal aliens as a reward for breaking our laws… that is INSANE!!!!
This NIGHTMARE in our white house has destroyed the sovereignty of our country with his open borders… HEY Bush, How about we send these illegal aliens to YOUR ranch… YOU take care of them.. with YOUR money!!!! Otherwise, shut up and take your opinion elsewhere.. democRATS do NOT want to work with the GOP..Trump tried …. they want to screw the country and tear it down…
George, SHUT YOUR FOOL MOUTH! Go home and paint some pretty pictures, it is absolutely ALL you are worth!
Better yet, if you and your clan LOVE illegals so much, how’s about you all OPEN YOU OWN HOMES and take in dozens of these illegal aliens, ON YOUR OWN DIME…
I can understand Mr. Bush’s dislike of Mr. Trump’s personality. For how long did we want a President to kick ***. Mr. Bush was too much the opposite and nonconfrontational. He let too many politicians walk all over him. The DNC Crime Machine got very scared as Mr. Trump’s successes mounted and they learned far too well what to do when they failed to elect their puppet Hillary. Too many voters got their panties in a wad over Mr. Trump’s personality instead of appreciating his successes for US. It’s anyone’s guess how this destructive timeline will play out.
ILLEGAL is what they are George–get it right !
Mr President, trying to work together in a bipartisan endeavor to accomplish anything of merit in our Congress is akin to forming a commission comprised of both police officers and the Mafia to develop a plan to combat crime. The Democrat Party of today is vehemently opposed to maintaining our country as it was founded. They have all become radical extremists hellbent on destroying all that is uniquely American—and a never ending influx of illegal immigrants is one of their most cherished ways of destroying this country. You have faulty logic, Mr President.
George, let’s put ONE THOUSAND ILLEGAL ALIENS on that ranch of yours. Yours to keep forever. Just sit back and watch them trash everything you have done there.
I doubt they would even do it for a week..
I’ve always thought of myself as an intelligent, well informed, patriotic American. I worked on G.W. Bush’s re-election campaign as legal council. I have never felt so duped by someone in my entire life as when I realized what a traitor he is. He may as well register as a democrat because that’s what he is…RINO pos.
President George W. Bush, isn’t he the one that when he was President #43, the “Main Stream Media” nicknamed “Dubya”, and derided for being a moron, a dunce? And now they hold him up as a wise, elder statesman who’s opinion we should value. Double standard much? Hypocrisy anyone?
Shut up, RINO!
I still can’t believe I supported and voted for this Imbecile Twice. All you have to do is look at the photos of his extremely warm embrace of his good friend, Hussein Obama and his wife, Mike. The same Hussein who trashed our Military and created the racial unrest of Today. The same Hussein who spent eight years traveling the World on his America Apology Tour while BOWING to Muslim Royalty.
I hope there’s no one who doesn’t feel that shame, for having had to vote for this piece of excrement.
The time to comment was when O’bama was screwing things up. You were oddly silent choosing to critique Donald Trump instead.
He was too busy kissing obamas you know what, to criticize him.
With all due respect W, the insanity at the border doesn’t in any way shape or form impact on you or anyone in your family. Walk a mile in our shoes sometime, you might just see the virtue of illegal border crossers, any of our borders, doing it the legal way. Starting life as an American by breaking our laws, taking the food or jobs out of the hands of those of us who worked to feed our families, who fought the enemies of our Country to help the Country survive, should shame them and you, as I mentioned W, all due respect.
Since we are no longer allowed to use the word “alien”, does this also mean that, in order to be politically-correct, we must refer to the occupants of flying saucers as undocumented extra-terrestrial aviators?
I care not what the left says, i will KEEP CALLING THEM illegal invaders!
The RINO former governor of Texas and former president of America is once again revealing his “soft on crime” programs.
Entering our nation without permission is a FELONY. IF this felony is to be REWARDED with the honor of CITIZENSHIP, what shall we do to bring equal treatment under the law for other felons? Free cars for murderers? Cash payments to child molesters? Tax breaks for thieves and swindlers? Public praise and adoration for abortionists (mass murderers of innocent babies)?
Instead, insist that ALL former presidents obey the simple, yet highly desirable, rule of absolute silence after leaving office (which is what he did promise when he did leave).
AND if illegal invaders are getting rewarded, WHY THE HELL WOULD ANY Sane individual ever bother wasting thousands of dollars and months of their lives, TRYING TO COME here legally!!
George who? Go back to sleep old man, you are long done screwing things up.
ANd we’re still suffering from that jackover he did
Is it too late to impeach 43?
At the time Bush was in office, I didn’t think he was so bad. After having Trump, I now understand what a POTUS who isn’t a politician can accomplish. Just shut up, George. You had your chance.