Congress should not listen to the hotheads and the anti-immigrant mischief makers who want to delay action on pending immigration reform because the two suspects in the Boston bombing case were immigrants.
The United States would no doubt be less safe, in fact, if reform-with its likely emphasis on increased border security and bringing millions of undocumented immigrants out of the shadows-falls to fear-mongering.
The immigration status quo is unacceptable. Congress and President Obama should waste no time in getting to work on a reform acceptable to all sides.
Reform will center, to greater or lesser degree, on improving security at crossings at the border with Mexico, revamping the visa system and creating a path to citizenship for the 11 million to 12 million undocumented workers, largely Hispanic, now living permanently but uneasily in the United States.
It’s hard to see how a new immigration policy that works, one that makes immigrants visible, would make it more likely that similar monstrous crimes like Boston would be committed.
But here was anti-immigrant Republican Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana calling for a delay in considering immigration reform for a month or two until “emotions settle down.” If that happens, opponents will look for another excuse to delay.
Congress, don’t let the bombings kill reform.
Editorial, Pages 16 on 04/27/2013