Bush, Saca Discuss Immigration Reforms

[Joanne98]

Bush, Saca Discuss Immigration Reforms

Tuesday February 27, 2007 9:46 PM


AP Photo WHRE105, WHRE104

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush, in an Oval Office meeting Tuesday with Salvadoran President Tony Saca, pushed for immigration reform and nudged Congress to pass a guest worker program that would allow immigrants to seek temporary work visas.

Bush, who is traveling to Latin America next week, said Saca reminded him that Temporary Protected Status, extended to many Salvadorans, expires in September.

``Every time he comes to the Oval Office he's expressed his deep concern and strong support for his citizens that may be here in our country, and I assured him that I was open-minded to his request, but more importantly, I'm working hard to get a comprehensive bill, immigration bill, passed out of the United States Congress,'' Bush told reporters.

Saca said there are more than 2 million Salvadorans living in the United States, the majority of them legal citizens. Temporary Protected Status is granted to people from countries where armed conflict, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions make it temporarily unsafe to return, but it doesn't lead to permanent residency.

``We will have to wait and see what happens between the executive and Congress,'' Saca said.

Bush pushed for more cooperation between the United States and El Salvador on biofuels made from corn, wood chips and other materials. He stressed the importance of the Central American Free Trade Agreement and expressed his sympathy about the deaths of three Salvadoran representatives to the Central American Parliament.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6444714,00.html