>That's true but I don't think it's quite that simple. Illegal immigration has impassioned the public in a way few issues do. I suspect most politicians on both sides of the aisle, not to mention President Bush, would rather have given it a miss in an election year, but the public debate has built to the point that ignoring the issue is no longer an option.

I am sure most politicians would like to ignore it, as it seems to be a no-win situation. It's complex, and while people demand it be fixed, there seem to be no easy answers. When there are hard choices to make, politicians usually lose.