Wednesday, April 19, 2006 | 7:21 a.m.
But just last week, there was hope. Congress was working on immigration reform ... To secure our borders and protect american families.
But Democrat Leader Harry Reid let us down. Harry Reid played politics and blocked our leaders from working together.
Reids Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hardworking immigrants ... as felons ...
While President Bush and Republican leaders work for legislation that will protect our borders and honor our immigrants.
Call Harry Reid at (702) 388-5020 tell him to stop playing with our futures.
An immigration bill that made it a felony to be in the country illegally passed a Republican-led House last year on a largely party-line vote, with most Democrats opposed.
Now the Republican National Committee is running an ad on Spanish-language radio in Las Vegas, Reno, Phoenix and Tucson attacking Democrats for voting to "treat millions of hardworking immigrants as felons."
How is that possible, you ask?
Please follow closely.
A Republican National Committee spokesman said the ad is "factually accurate" because when an amendment was offered in the House to reduce the crime of being an illegal immigrant from a felony to a misdemeanor, Democrats fought it, just as they opposed making it a felony.
But to the Republican National Committee, the Democrats' opposition to the misdemeanor amendment means they favored making it a felony.
Add it all up and you have this: Instead of taking credit for their legislation, Republicans blame Democrats for it.
Actually, Democrats favor the status quo - being in the country illegally is a civil, not a criminal, offense.
Analysts say this strange Republican logic is the result of the party's bind on the immigration issue. Much of its white, working-class base wants a tough immigration policy that would punish illegal immigrants and prevent them from ever becoming citizens. But party strategists are terrified this could turn off Hispanic voters forever and alienate the business community, which relies on the cheap labor of the country's estimated 11 1/2 million to 12 million illegal immigrants.
"The wedge is in their party, not in the Democratic Party," said David Damore, a professor of political science at UNLV.
This split was evidenced by a call to Irma Aguirre of the Nevada Republican Hispanic Coalition. She declined to comment on the ad and referred all questions to the national committee.
Also, even though her name was on a press release attacking Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada as a "rich Anglo," Aguirre referred all questions about it to Jim Lopez, state chairman of the California chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly.
Lopez accused Reid of holding up immigration reform - including allowing many illegal immigrants to move toward citizenship - for narrow political gain. (He said he called Reid a "rich Anglo" because "that's what he is.")
Then just to add one more twist, Kenneth Wegner, a Republican running a long-shot, get-tough-on-immigration campaign to unseat Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nevada, said he resents the Republican National Committee's use of money donated by people such as him for an ad catering to illegal immigrants.
It's not clear the ads will be effective, Andres Ramirez, a Democratic political consultant, said. He noted that Spanish-language radio has been a key organizer in the recent marches nationwide, pointing to the sway of nationally syndicated DJ Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo, who's been sharply critical of Republican immigration policy.
Democrats have their own slippery motivations on immigration, Republicans and some independents say. Danny Diaz, Republican National Committee spokesman, said Democrats are more interested in winning political battles than in working toward an immigration solution. The ad specifically attacks Reid on this score.
Damore said that's entirely possible. "Democrats are content to sit there and watch the Republicans eat each other up," he said.
Compromise legislation that would toughen border security but also allow immigrants here illegally to earn citizenship stalled in the Senate before a spring recess.
The Republican National Committee ad blames Reid, who demanded Republicans limit the number of amendments to the law because, he said in an interview Tuesday, the true purpose of those amendments would be to kill the legislation.
Republicans say Reid is desperate to keep the White House and Republicans from winning a victory on immigration.
Reid and Democratic leaders may also fear offending certain sectors of organized labor, who believe undocumented immigrants drive down wages for the working class.
Bert Ramos, chairman of the governor-appointed Nevada Commission on Minority Affairs, said both parties are guilty of cynical pandering, which could turn off Hispanic voters.
"One says, 'Throw 'em all out.' The other is saying, 'We defend you because you mow our lawns.' One is bigoted, the other, condescending," said Ramos, who is not affiliated with either party.
Coming from countries where political corruption is rampant, he said, "these are skeptical listeners."
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