WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Tuesday stopped short of calling for amnesty for illegal aliens as part of an overall immigration reform policy.
In his State of the Union address, Bush said, however, those who have been in the United States illegally for years must be allowed to come out of the shadows.
Bush proposed a series of requirements illegals would be required to meet before being allowed to apply for legal status, including learning English, holding a job and paying taxes.
"Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America -- with laws that are fair and borders that are secure," Bush said.
"When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country ... Yet ... we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border -- and that requires a temporary worker program."
Bush said new immigrants should be encouraged to assimilate and greater efforts should be made to help them understand U.S. values.
"We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals," Bush said.
