Getting Immigration Right

IMMIGRATION poses a serious political problem for Republicans. The problem isn’t that it deeply divides them although it does. It’s that neither side in the intra-party debate has a viable political strategy for dealing with immigration.

Each side thinks it does, of course. George W. Bush has followed a pretty consistent strategy in Texas and Washington. It has been to court Hispanic voters, and even more to avoid alienating them. He has rarely made a peep against racial preferences or official bilingualism, and has always advertised his support for high immigration levels. Since 2004, he has also supported what he calls “comprehensive immigration reform.” It has three parts: tougher enforcement of the immigration laws; a guest-worker program to reduce employers’ demand for illegal immigrant labor; and a “path to citizenship” for those illegal immigrants who have been here for a while and are willing to meet certain conditions, such as learning English.

About the Author

Ramesh Ponnuru

Ramesh Ponnuru is the editor of National Review, a columnist for the Washington Post, and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

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IMMIGRATION poses a serious political problem for Republicans. The problem isn’t that it deeply divides them although it does. It’s that neither side in the intra-party debate has a viable political strategy for dealing with immigration.

Each side thinks it does, of course. George W. Bush has followed a pretty consistent strategy in Texas and Washington. It has been to court Hispanic voters, and even more to avoid alienating them. He has rarely made a peep against racial preferences or official bilingualism, and has always advertised his support for high immigration levels. Since 2004, he has also supported what he calls “comprehensive immigration reform.” It has three parts: tougher enforcement of the immigration laws; a guest-worker program to reduce employers’ demand for illegal immigrant labor; and a “path to citizenship” for those illegal immigrants who have been here for a while and are willing to meet certain conditions, such as learning English.