Former US president George W. Bush on Monday called immigration a "blessing and a strength," as lawmakers tussled with Donald Trump over border wall funding.
The Republican, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight after leaving office in 2009, did not explicitly criticize Trump or the border wall policy.
Speaking at a naturalization ceremony for 51 new American citizens at the George W Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, the nation's 43th president called for reform of "outdated and ineffective" immigration laws.
He also emphasized: "Borders are not arbitrary and they need to be respected."
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