Immigration reform and fear factor

By Ruben Navarrette
2:00 a.m. August 19, 2009

When talking about immigration, Americans need to get their stories straight.

The debate is about to start up again. Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York has said he intends to introduce, after Labor Day, legislation calling for comprehensive immigration reform. Schumer has an ally in Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who is working to rustle up support from his side of the aisle.

Recently, I was guest-hosting a radio show and fielding calls on immigration. I remember two calls in particular that showed the disingenuousness of the debate. The first caller claimed: “No one is opposed to immigration ... this is a country of immigrants ... it's just illegal immigration that people are upset about.â€