Border security step forward

A Senate bill aiming for comprehensive immigration reform failed last month, in large part because opponents insisted that border security must come first. The Senate wisely moved toward satisfying that demand Thursday, approving in near-unanimous fashion an amendment from South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham and Arkansas Democrat Mark Pryor to appropriate an extra $3 billion to secure "operational control" of the U.S.-Mexico border.

President Bush has warned that the $40.6 billion cost of the homeland security appropriations bill, to which that amendment was added, is too high. But the White House did express its approval of the border-security amendment. And judging from Thursday night's 89-4 Senate margin in favor of that homeland security spending measure and anticipated widespread backing for a looming conference version, any veto would likely be overridden.

The Graham-Pryor border-security amendment passed the Senate by an even wider count of 89-1. Sen. Graham, who has attracted heated criticism for backing the Senate immigration bill that never made it past the filibuster stage, cited the sweeping bipartisan support for his border-security amendment as evidence that there remains ample common ground on this issue.

He also pointed out that the failed bill included many of the same border-security provisions in his amendment that passed Thursday.

The Graham-Pryor amendment provides new money for border fencing, increased border-patrol presence and equipment, and ends the futile practice of "catch and release" by providing the funding needed to detain up to 45,000 illegal immigrants a day.

Sen. Graham explained: "The term 'operational control' is a military term, and I look at this effort to secure our border as a military operation. We are serious about border security and this again shows the commitment to do whatever is necessary to regain control of our borders."

Sen. Graham added that much more needs to be done to fix what's wrong with immigration, arguing: "The comprehensive approach failed but the problems posed by illegal immigration have not gone away. We are now addressing the major changes one piece at a time."

Among the other common-sense "pieces" he advocates are a better electronic employee verification system, "merit-based" entry requirements, assimilation programs that include learning English, and a temporary guest worker program.

The welcome step forward on border security should bring those next steps closer while advancing comprehensive, and overdue, immigration reform.