One Step Back ; Immigration Bill Won't Be 'Dead' Indefinitely

Summary

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The "comprehensive" immigration reform bill introduced a few weeks ago in the Senate is dead -- or at least dormant -- having fallen 15 votes short of the 60 needed to close debate and move to a final vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says it could return, perhaps in just a few weeks, after some tinkering. We hope it will. But for now, President Bush's effort to work with Democrats to garner one legislative success in his lame-duck term has hit a wall, stalled by the polarizing nature of the debate.

Like most compromises, this one was imperfect. The "guest worker" program was reduced to 200,000 a year from 400,000 -- about half of the 400,000-500,000 illegal immigrants the U.S. economy has been absorbing per year. Its labyrinthine provisions -- work here for two years maximum, return to the home country for at least one year, work here for another two years -- plus the fact that an amendment would "sunset" the program in five years, made it likely that a significant number of workers would choose simply to ignore it.

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One Step Back ; Immigration Bill Won't Be 'Dead' Indefinitely

Critics are eager to brand as "amnesty" any program that leads to possible citizenship for those already here illegally -- even one that involves a fine, learning English and 13 years of uncertainty. But realistic alternatives are in s...

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