Our Opinion

The women and men of the 110th U.S. Congress have more important matters to attend to this summer than to attempt comprehensive reform of our dysfunctional immigration policies.
Such as getting re-elected.
Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva recognizes his comrades' "political fear of consequences" if they take on such a supercharged topic in an election year. Consequence No. 1: getting booted out of office by unthinking nativist factions.
So we welcome the incremental improvements to immigration bills that Grijalva has co-sponsored in the U.S. House, even if the approach is, by his own admission, "piecemeal."
A little reform is better than nothing. Also, it is a good balance to the federal government's current fixation on enforcement.
The bills recognize that the United States cannot solve the immigration mess simply by building longer, higher walls, erecting "virtual" fences and hiring more Border Patrol agents.
Most of the bills have bipartisan support. All should have. It's difficult to argue with legislation that would:
• Speed up citizenship for active-duty military personnel who are not U.S. citizens, and guarantee permanent resident status for their families.
More than 45,000 noncitizens had volunteered to be in harm's way as of March 2007. The least we can do is make them full-fledged members of our society, and guarantee that, if they make the ultimate sacrifice, their family members will not be deported.
• Provide basic health care for detained immigrants. The legislation would mandate minimum standards, such as providing medical exams and ensuring that detainees continue to receive prescribed medications. That's not too much to ask.
• Keep U.S. business competitive. H.R. 5882 would see to it that employment-based immigrant visas are not lost to bureaucratic delays.
Contemplated legislation would eliminate "per country" limits on foreign workers and allow some 12,000 noncitizen advanced-degree graduates of U.S. colleges to get green cards. That would help American companies starved for high-tech workers.
That these measures have support on both sides of the aisle is nearly as important as what they would accomplish. Passage of these bills would provide the blueprint for success when the 111th Congress tackles what should be a top priority in 2009.
That, of course, is comprehensive immigration reform: a federal mechanism holding employers responsible if they hire illegal immigrants, a guest worker program that meets the needs of businesses, and a path to citizenship - not amnesty - that includes payment of fines and back taxes and gives some 12 million illegal immigrants a chance to come out of the shadows.
The reforms are decades overdue. The job facing members of Congress will be difficult at best. But wanting to take on and resolve big problems is why our elected leaders are running for re-election.
At least, it should be.