Bush unveils new border security plan

Jeb Bush, under criticism from some conservatives over immigration, offered a six-point plan Monday emphasizing better security at the border and improved enforcement of existing laws.

"Any plan to address the status of illegal immigrants must be accompanied by a robust strategy to improve border security," Bush wrote in a post on the Medium website.

His proposals include a beefed-up border patrol, tighter rules for businesses that employ migrant workers, and a crackdown on "sanctuary cities" that give shelter to migrants who are in the country illegally.

The former Florida governor again calls for a "rigorous" process to grant legal status to qualified migrants who are currently in the country illegally, provided they "pass a thorough criminal background check, pay fines, pay taxes, learn English, obtain a provisional work permit and work, (and) not receive federal government assistance."

Some of Bush's critics liken that plan to "amnesty" for lawmakers.

The plan comes hours before a Monday night forum in New Hampshire featuring most of the Republican presidential candidates.

The first GOP debate of the season takes place Thursday night in Cleveland.

In his Medium post, Bush said his border security plan has six main points:

-- A "forward-leaning" Border Patrol with the flexibility to deploy resources to meet threats;

-- New technologies -- including drones -- to achieve continuous surveillance of the border;

-- Better border infrastructure, including new roads into remote areas that will improve patrols;

-- Electronic verification of employment eligibility, to make sure that workers are in the United States legally;

-- Identify and "send home" people who overstay their visas or otherwise violate the terms of entry into the country;

-- "Crack down" on sanctuary cities that "undermine efforts to enforce immigration laws."