Visiting U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday that raids on undocumented immigrants will continue because they are only enforcing existing laws, said reports from Guatemala City.

"The United States will enforce our laws," Bush told a news conference with his Guatemalan counterpart Oscar Berger.

"I understand the concern the families of undocumented Guatemalans must have, but it is illegal to hire undocumented workers," he said.

But Bush said he hoped to get the Democratic-led Congress to make significant strides toward an immigration overhaul, including a temporary guest worker program, in the coming months.

"As I told the president, it seems like, to me, we've got to get this done by August. I hope so," he said.

Bush added that U.S. lawmakers should be convinced of the need for an integral immigration reform as he cannot settle the issue alone.

"If we do not have consensus in the Senate, nothing will happen, and if nothing happens there, then nothing will happen in the House of Representatives," said the president.

He said the United States was working to help Guatemalans, even if only with temporary work, but everything must be done legally.

Guatemalans are angered by a mass deportation of Guatemalans that took place last Tuesday, when U.S. immigration agents arrested 500 undocumented workers.

On drug trafficking, Bush vowed to continue to fight against the illegal activity, saying, "We wish to promote peace and stability and drug traffickers leave a wake of venom wherever they go."

For his part, Berger said the two nations' free trade agreement will allow many Guatemalans to fulfill their American dream.

He said there are 1.3 million Guatemalans in the United States, and 60 percent of them live there without documents.

The two leaders highlighted the importance of links between the United States and Guatemala, saying that some differences of opinion are inevitable in their relations.

Guatemala is the fourth leg of Bush's five-nation Latin America tour, which has taken him to Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia. He will also visit Mexico.

Source: Xinhua