Immigration among topics Bush, Clinton mention to scholars


By the Associated Press

Former President George W. Bush has expressed concern with the national immigration debate, saying the conversation is ignoring the "valuable contributions" immigrants make to society.

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush, have a laugh during their talk at the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation ceremony for the 2018 class at the Clinton Presidential Center Thursday, July 12, 2018, in Little Rock, Ark. (Mitchell Pe Masilun/The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP / MANILA BULLETIN) Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush, have a laugh during their talk at the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation ceremony for the 2018 class at the Clinton Presidential Center Thursday, July 12, 2018, in Little Rock, Ark. (Mitchell Pe Masilun/The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP / MANILA BULLETIN)

Bush and former President Bill Clinton spoke Thursday to graduating students of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock. During a discussion before the ceremony, Clinton also warned of growing global Chinese leadership.

Both said there's a need for greater global aid and development programs. Bush noted one of the lessons from 9/11 is that national security is dependent on human conditions worldwide.

They joked about losing political races and told the scholars not to fear failure.

Presidential Leadership Scholars is a joint program through Clinton and Bush's foundations and those of former Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and George H. W. Bush.