What Are They Thinking?

The Bush Administration is opposing a provision of the intelligence reform bill that tightens illegal immigration laws.

Why in the world would this, or any other administration want our borders to remain porous?

Of course, this administration has, from its beginning, been too accomodating of illegal immigration.

But, if Bush, Cheney and Rove think that going easy on illegal immigration will earn them the love of liberals, they're wrong.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) yesterday said the letter signaled little more than a buckling by the president to political pressure.
"The Bush administration is clearly feeling the heat on these extraneous and dangerous provisions," said Laura W. Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office.
"Although it continues to stubbornly endorse measures that would cut away at checks and balances for immigrants, expand the Patriot Act, add eight new death penalties and remove meaningful civil-liberties protections, the White House has signaled that it can still be swayed by political pressures," Miss Murphy said.
"It seems that the White House is reacting to growing pressure from crucial voter groups, like Cubans in Florida," she said. "The letter is evidence that the administration realizes that there are tremendous political risks if it ignores the protests of these key constituencies in this close presidential election. Appeasing potential voters should not be how we undergo the greatest restructuring of our nation's intelligence systems -- a commitment to freedom and liberty should."
The Bush administration, meanwhile, welcomed Congress' efforts to prevent counterfeiting and tampering with driver's licenses and birth certificates, but said, "Additional consultation with the states is necessary to address important concerns about flexibility, privacy and unfunded mandates."