Immigration reform

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.

Immigration reform legislation in Congress appeared to stall last week when Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham walked away from talks with Democratic leaders. Graham, who was the only Republican in on discussions, said the legislation would have to wait at least two years. He said Americans were more concerned about secure borders than immigration reform.

Graham, who was working with Democrats on climate change legislation, was also upset that putting immigration reform on the Senate’s calendar would hurt his chances of getting Republican votes on climate change.

However, the new Arizona immigration law has underscored the need for action in Congress on immigration reform. Graham used the law as an illustration of what he said was Americans’ desire to control the borders. Americans agree that the borders need to be secured, but they have a more complex view of the issue and see a need for balance in the nation’s immigration policy. A USA Today/Gallup Poll published Tuesday showed that Americans are concerned about securing the borders, but they are also concerned about the fate of illegal immigrants who work hard and stay out of trouble.

The poll showed that 68 percent said it is important to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, but 77 percent of Americans were concerned that tough laws, like the one in Arizona, would force hardworking illegal immigrants and their families to leave. More than 60 percent of those surveyed said they were concerned that strict immigration measures would go against the American tradition of welcoming people who seek a better life, and 67 percent say it is important to come up with a plan to deal with the illegal immigrants already here.

Tomas Jimenez of the nonpartisan New America Foundation told USA Today that the poll shows the difficulty in handling the issue.

“On the one hand, they don’t like the idea that people are breaking our immigration laws, that it appears we have a southern border that is out of control,” he said. “On the other hand, they think the people coming here who work hard, who have dreams of a better life, are really participating in an American tradition that is as old as this country.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., wants to move ahead with legislation to address the entire problem, not just the border.

“It is vital for us to secure our borders, get tough on those here illegally, and impose tough sanctions on employers who abuse immigrants and use them to undercut the wages of Nevada workers,” Reid said last week, introducing an outline of proposed legislation.

Reid needs bipartisan support for immigration reform to move forward because Republicans can use procedural maneuvers in the Senate to block the legislation. Since Graham’s statements, Democrats have reached out to other Republicans to try to gain some help. Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who has worked on immigration issues in the past, said he would be open to discussing proposals with Democrats. We would hope that more Republicans would come to the table.

As the country further secures the border, it should resolve other problems with immigration and provide the hardworking people here illegally a chance to gain resident status.