RICHARDSON SAYS BORDER IS MORE SECURE

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has said he has seen significant improvement in security along the US-Mexico border. The Governor's statement is important because a key reason immigration reform was blocked last year is because many felt that enforcement should be addressed before any kind or legalization program was introduced. Over the last year, there have been significant changes. The number of deportations is up dramatically, there are anecdotal reports of large numbers of illegally present immigrants returning home (including a substantial drop in remittances), the amount of money being put in to enforcement efforts is up significantly, the number of employer arrests has skyrocketed, and so on. For those who claim that the government is doing nothing on enforcement, the recent facts certainly paint a different story.

The cynic in me says that most folks who argue enforcement first are really against immigration all together and they will never state their satisfaction that we are adequately enforcing the laws. So I don't know that the progress were seeing even matters as far as eventually getting them to agree to reform legislation. What I would like to see is for the enforcement first advocates to agree that meeting certain benchmarks is enough. Otherwise, we'll argue for years over when to move forward to the next step of immigration reform.

Comments

[George Chell]

"So how would you fix the situation? Simple, start instilling fear in those illegals who are planning to return home!"

Pretty bizarre. May also have something to do with US farmers leasing land south of the border and these chaps taking up employment in those farms.

[MakesSense]

USC:

Thanks for the article. With all the illegals moving out of states like AZ, TX, etc. the Govt has realized that this is really harming the economy.

So how would you fix the situation? Simple, start instilling fear in those illegals who are planning to return home!

- MS

[George Chell]

"The cynic in me says that most folks who argue enforcement first are really against immigration all together and they will never state their satisfaction that we are adequately enforcing the laws. So I don't know that the progress were seeing even matters as far as eventually getting them to agree to reform legislation. What I would like to see is for the enforcement first advocates to agree that meeting certain benchmarks is enough. Otherwise, we'll argue for years over when to move forward to the next step of immigration reform."

You have to wait until 2009. The only way you are going to get any comprehensive reform is by marginalizing those who are against any form of immigration. According to the polls Dems are expected to gain at least four and may be six seats in the Senate this year. If indeed that happens, people like Demented DeMint and Senile Sessions would be marginalized. I know for sure that Warner, Shaheen, Franken and the Udall brothers support comprehensive immigration reform as does Begich from Alaska. If you want to break the Senate filibuster wait till 2009.

[USC]

INS targets arresting illegals as they leave the US:

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-checkpoint7-2008may07,0,3517339.story