SEPTEMBER 22, 2010.Harry Reid's Political Dream
The Democrats Still Aren't Serious About Immigration Reform Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would have you believe that his decision to attach an immigration measure to a Defense bill 40 days before an election has nothing to do with the fact that he's fighting for his political life back home in Nevada, where Hispanics comprise 26% of the population. Whatever you say, Senator.

The Dream Act, as the measure is known, would give illegal immigrant children who have graduated from high school a shot at U.S. citizenship if they also attend college or serve in the military. The bill, which has enjoyed bipartisan support, was first introduced in 2001. As a policy matter we have no problem with giving young people who were brought here by their parents a way to earn legal status. But the political reality is that six weeks before a midterm election in which Republicans are expected to make large gains, the GOP understandably has little appetite for handing Democrats a legislative victory or casting controversial immigration votes that could cost the party seats.

Democrats have had two years to deal with immigration reform, and all they have to show for it is a lawsuit against Arizona that's about as popular as ObamaCare. Mr. Reid's Dream Act gambit, which has President Obama's blessing, is more evidence that Democrats are most interested in using immigration as a cudgel against political opponents. Mr. Reid and the White House are spinning out this bill now because they want Republicans to oppose it. They will then portray the GOP as anti-immigrant and obscure the fact that the President has not made good on his own promise to make immigration reform a priority.

These columns have long maintained that the best way to shrink the undocumented population is by increasing the supply of work visas and green cards. The Dream Act won't solve that problem but it would improve the status quo. Americans are understandably frustrated at Washington's inability to control the border, but that's no reason to punish blameless youngsters seeking to better themselves by pursuing a college degree or military service.

The Majority Leader is hoping that a vote on the Dream Act will help him turn out Latinos in Nevada, where he is in a statistical tie in the polls with Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle. Hispanics are 15% of the electorate in the state, and Mr. Reid knows it will be difficult to win re-election without their support. He also knows that Democrats in Nevada can't take Latinos for granted; 45% voted to re-elect Senate Republican John Ensign in 2006.

If Senator Reid and the Administration want to do something constructive on immigration in the few legislative days remaining this year, not further poisoning the debate would be a good place to start. The immigration debate is polarized enough without appearing to ram one more bill through Congress for partisan gain.

Pushing for passage in the current environment will make it all the more difficult to win bipartisan support for immigration reform next year, when a more divided Congress could provide an opportunity to work together (a la welfare reform) and when both parties might be willing to deal in order to get this polarizing issue behind them before the 2012 elections.
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