Monday, March 16, 2009

Where's Immigration Reform?

Kos brings up a good point--where is the talk about immigration reform? It's starting to get warm. Soon, Mexicans and Central Americans will be dying in the Sonoran desert trying to cross into the United States. Forced into the harshest environments, by U.S. immigration policy, they dehydrate and drop dead.

Moreover, it makes good political sense to take up immigration reform. Latinos came out big for Latinos. My sense is that they feel they have not been properly paid back. Minimal cabinet representation (not helped by Bill Richardson's collapse) and a lack of attention to Latino issues have been notable. Of course, Obama has a lot on his plate right now. But as Kos says, "Congress passes legislation, and the president signs it. It doesn't have to be part of Obama's agenda. It can be part of Congress' agenda."

Precisely. Of course, conservative Senate Democrats would have to be bullied into voting for it, just as they are on so many issues. But it can be done. It is right morally and it is right politically. There's no good reason to not take on this issue.