Activists who take a harder line toward illegal immigration also said that the border security measures issued by the administration do little more than shift the focus away from the issue of removing the millions of illegal immigrants living in the United States. At the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, which calls for stronger enforcement, Executive Director Mark Krikorian called Bush's speech "inspired by Mary Poppins -- a spoonful of border enforcement makes the amnesty go down."
He called use of National Guard troops "about number 17 on the list" of things to do, after targeting immigrant fugitives and U.S. companies that use illegal labor.
"It was insulting, really," Krikorian said. "He must think people who oppose amnesty are a bunch of troglodytes that can be induced by cosmetic measures."