POLITICAL STRUGGLE OVER THE IMMIGRATION REFORM DURING G.W.BUSH PRESIDENCY

By the beginning of the XXI century, the US had about 12 million illegal aliens and the immigration reform was evidently much needed. The Immigration Act of 1990 was significantly outdated and required revision. Additional regulations that passed in the 1990-s had to be systematized. The White House and the president George W. Bush inclined to the comprehensive immigration reform that would include an amnesty for the certain part of the illegal aliens. Some lawmakers were ready to strike a deal, but than happened the 9/11 tragedy. Immigration reform was shelved and turned into a matter of national security. Immigration reform bills were taken into consideration only in conjunction with boarder security bills. Edward Kennedy was very much aware of the issue's complexity and the need for reform; he did all he could to reach a compromise with his fellow Republicans. John McCain became his closest ally in the reform. Democrats made considerable concessions, while moderate Republicans were willing to meet them halfway, but the conservatives would not let the Congress adopt a new legislation, calling any attempt at comprehensive immigration reform an amnesty for the criminals. During the 107-110 Congresses the immigration reform was thoroughly worked through from both sides, but the proposed bills rarely got to the floor and never passed both Houses. Even though the time has passed, suggestions offered and deals reached during the Bush presidency did not lose the edge and any new immigration legislation is going be based on the 2002-2008 bills.

amnesty, border security, comprehensive immigration reform, Congress, G.W.Bush, illegal immigrants, immigration politics, Kennedy-McCain immigration reform bill

1. Согрин В.В. Политическая история США XVII - XX вв. М.: Весь Мир, 2001. 400 с.

2. Bush G. W. Decision points. New York: Broadway paperbacks, 2010. 512 p.

3. Chebel d'Appollonia A. Frontiers of Fear: Immigration and Insecurity in the United States and Europe. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 2012. 320 p.

4. Koulish R. E. Immigration and American Democracy: subverting the rule of law. New York: Routledge T. and Francis group, 2010. 223 p.

5. Martin S. F. A Nation of Immigrants. New York: Cambridge university press, 2011. 335 p.

6. Wroe A. The Republican party and immigration politics from proposition 187 to George W. Bush. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. 304 p.

7. Arizona's Proposition 200 2004 election analysis, National immigration forum. URL: http://www. immigrationforum.org/images/uploads/azprop200analysis.pdf

8. Bash D., Koppel A. Senate immigration bill suffers crushing defeat CNN International 28 June 2007. URL: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/28/immigration.congress/index.html

9. Cornell University Law school 8 USC § 1324a - Unlawful employment of aliens. URL: http://www.law.cornell. edu/uscode/text/8/1324a

10. Empty seats in a lifeboat: are there problems with the US refugee program? Hearing before the subcommittee on immigration of the Committee of the judiciary, United States Senate, February 12, 2002. URL: http:// www.loc.gov/law/find/hearings/pdf/0009589849A.pdf

11. Geyer G.A. Darkness by design for amnesty move The Washington Times, 17 March 2002. URL: http://www. washingtontimes.com/news/2002/mar/17/20020317-041109-6726r/

12. Jacoby T. Anti-immigrant fever in Arizona, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2004. URL: http://articles.latimes. com/2004/jul/12/opinion/oe-jacoby12

13. Library of Congress Bill Summary & Status 109th Congress (2005-2006) H.R.4437. URL: http://thomas.loc. gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:H.R.4437:

14. Library of Congress Bill Summary & Status 109th Congress (2005-2006) S.1033. URL: http://thomas.loc. gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:S1033:

15. Library of Congress Bill Summary & Status 109th Congress (2005-2006) S.2611. URL: http://thomas.loc. gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:S2611:

16. Library of Congress, Bill Summary & Status 110th Congress (2007-2008) S.1348. URL: http://thomas.loc. gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:S.1348:

17. Medina J. Arrests of 31 in U.S. Sweep Bring Fear in New Haven The New York Times 8 June 2007. URL: http:// www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/nyregion/08haven.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

18. National immigration Forum 1 February 2002 C-SPAN. URL: http://www.c-span.org/video/?168491-1/ immigration-issues

19. Preston J. Judge suspends key Bush effort on immigration//The New York Times, 11 October 2007. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/washington/11nomatch.html?scp=6&sq=bush+immigration&st=nyt

20. Sammon B. Ridge rapped for immigration views. //The Washington Times, 11 December 2003. URL: http:// www.washingtontimes.com/news/2003/dec/11/20031211-120505-1795r/?page=all

21. Senate Session C-SPAN, 28 June 2007. URL: http://www.c-span.org/video/?199468-1/senate-session

22. Stolberg S. Winning on Iraq, Bush turns to immigration // The New York Times, 26 May 2007. URL: http:// www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/washington/26bush.html?scp=10&sq=bush+immigration&st=nyt&_r=1&

23. The American Presidency project Bush G.W. Statement on signing the enhanced border security and the visa entry reform act, 12 May 2002. URL: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=62766

24. The Free Republic editorial Congressman attacks ProjectUSA on amnesty bill, 17 September 2003. URL: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/984432/posts

25. The White House Archives George W. Bush selected speeches, p. 206. URL: http://georgewbush-whitehouse. archives.gov/infocus/bushrecord/documents/Selected_Speeches_George_W_Bush.pdf