Thread: S.D.U.T. EDITORIAL: Next, immigration reform?

U-T editorial: Next, immigration reform?

It will never be easy, so take it on now

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 12:03 a.m.

Some political observers insist that this really isn’t a convenient time for Congress to take on the issue of immigration reform.

Is it ever? No, really. Is there ever a good time for the legislative branch to have this conversation? After all, we’ve been told to wait before. In fact, in this latest go-round. we have been waiting for almost a decade.

It was September 2001 when President George W. Bush told Americans that Washington was going to fix a broken system and pair up willing workers with employers in need. Then the 9/11 attacks occurred and the drawbridge went up. When Congress did take up the issue years later there were those who insisted that it wasn’t a good time because, with the economy doing well and the unemployment rate at about 4 percent, the immigrant population was so large that there was a high level of anxiety over shifting demographics, a changing culture, proliferation of foreign languages, etc. What was needed was a “cooling offâ€

It’s hard to keep up with the excuses. But leadership isn’t about reciting reasons for why you can’t do something. It’s about finding a way to do it.

Leadership also includes listening to the employers: the American citizens!

After all, we’ve been told to wait before. In fact, in this latest go-round. we have been waiting for almost a decade.

And I've been waiting since 1986 for enforcement.