Plan B

Immigration | Immigration reform is dead, but a long-term decline in immigration is likely anyway | Mark Bergin

Kennedy speaks out after defeat of the immigration bill

Supporters of the Senate's comprehensive immigration reform bill expressed frustration and disappointment with the legislation's ultimate demise last month. Democratic backers sought to pin the bill's failure on President George W. Bush—just one more shortcoming of a dysfunctional administration, they charged. Defeated Republicans lashed out at members of their own party for caving to the political heat of a talk-radio-led conservative outcry.

Such spirited blame-shifting and sour grapes betray the finality of the Senate's June 28 vote to kill the bill. Subsequent reform efforts will not likely resurface until 2009, despite widespread agreement that current policies remain untenable. Expressing dismay over the outcome, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) reminded a celebrating opposition that its victory provided no resolution to the country's massive illegal immigration problem: "This issue is not going away."