Bush Urges Senate on Immigration

ABC News’ Karen Travers reports: President Bush today acknowledged flaws in the proposed immigration bill, but asked Senators to reconsider their vote. In his weekly Saturday radio address, the President spoke directly to the members of the Senate. He asked that Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) act to bring the bill back to the Senate floor, make improvements and urged Senators from both parties to then support it. "Like any legislation, this bill is not perfect," Bush said. "And like many Senators, I believe the bill will need to be further improved along the way before it becomes law.  In the heat of the debate, critics and supporters can sometimes talk past each other."

Bush disagreed with conservative critics who claim the bill offers amnesty to immigrants who entered the country illegally, citing hurdles that require "illegal workers to pay a fine, register with the government, undergo background checks, pay their back taxes, and hold a steady job."

"In short, they will have to prove themselves worthy of this great land."

The President insisted that a merit-based point system in the bill, which awards points to immigrants with established family ties, would address the family unification concerns voiced by Democrats. He also reiterated that the proposed bill, combined with a renewed commitment to border security, would be a vast improvement over the 1986 immigration reforms.

"My Administration is determined to learn from the mistakes of the past decades," Bush said. "And that is why we are now committing more resources than ever before to border security, doubling the number of Border Patrol agents, building hundreds of miles of fencing, and employing advanced technology, from infrared sensors to unmanned aerial vehicles."

Bush returns from his trip to Europe on Monday and plans to talk immigration over lunch with Senate Republicans on Tuesday.