Immigration in the news 8/12

While we assumed the issue may go away until 2009, this should be a week of fairly intensive coverage of immigration reform and enforcement. Here's a smattering in the popular press:



Chertoff laments failure of immigration reform Aug. 8 coverage from the AP:
BOSTON - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a national gathering of state lawmakers Wednesday that he would ratchet up enforcement of immigration laws, including at the workplace, in lieu of comprehensive immigration reform.
Chertoff, speaking at the National Conference of State Legislatures, lamented the failure of a bill that would have paved the way for millions of illegal immigrants to become citizens. That bill, supported by President Bush but opposed by conservative Republicans and some Democrats, failed on the Senate floor.
"We shouldn’t have a patchwork of laws. We should be doing a comprehensive federal solution, but we haven’t got that thing done," he said. "What I can tell you is we will certainly use every enforcement tool that we have, and every resource that we have available, to tackle the problem."

Bush administration launches enforcement effort From the Fort Worth Star Telegram:
WASHINGTON -- Responding to Congress' failure to enact a new immigration overhaul, the Bush administration on Friday opted for a regulatory assault to toughen workplace enforcement and crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.
The package of regulatory measures prompted a torrent of criticism from business groups and immigrant advocates, who warned of a withering economic backlash and potential widespread discrimination against Hispanics.