Late last week a bipartisan group of US senators reached a compromise on a 380-page immigration bill, one lauded by the President and party leaders on both sides of the fence. The bill should pass the Senate this week and then it will go on to the House where it should pass even with Speaker Pelosi’s ultimatum that demands the President guarantee 70 "yea" votes from the House.

This bill took many months to conceive for as is typical with any highly-polarized issue pitting the Republicans against the Democrats each side believed its way was the correct way. In the case of this issue, though, nobody was correct. The ruling majorities of both parties are grossly wrong in their ways, promoting actions and legislation that are an affront to national security and American sovereignty. This statement is proved by the weaknesses (if not outright cop-outs) represented in the two primary components of this bill: amnesty and security.

Through this bill at least 12 million vagrants (some peg the number closer to 15 million) would be rewarded rather than reprimanded for breaking the law and - in its truest sense - invading our nation. By coming forward, admitting their guilt and paying a nominal $1,000 (temporary status) or $5,000 (permanent status) fine these individuals would be granted amnesty with a long-term "Z visa" that could create a gradual path to citizenship. This abhorrent "pay-to-play" system detracts from pre-existing means of legal entrance and pitifully puts a value on citizenship that is priceless and should be earned rather than purchased.

As if the amnesty afforded by this portion of the bill isn’t bad enough, it also promotes continuation of existing bad behavior. The fine will prevent many of the 12 million from ever applying for citizenship. Therefore, they will continue to hide out and make an under-the-table living amongst the urban centers and fields of America because the bill does not address how to corral or what to do to about those who do not come forward.

This inability to take care of the holdovers perfectly represents the hypocrisy so prevalent in our federal government’s assessment of national security. From the President to Congress to Homeland Security those who run and protect our nation constantly boast of their efforts in preventing another September 11^th and shoring-up our country’s safety. This is only braggadocio because they’ve allowed a huge, silent invasion to occur by doing nothing to protect our borders. Truth be told, the immigration bill was not spawned from an inability to enforce current immigration laws but rather from a purposeful desire NOT to enforce the current laws. Therefore, one cannot choose but wonder: if we try not to stop miscreants from slyly entering our nation and do nothing about it when they do, how safe are we?

This bill attempts to alter this situation, but fails miserably. It includes the same sort of tactics that we’ve heard discussed in recent years, ventures like border fencing, use of new technologies, and increased manpower at the border. Despite those items all being things that should have been done now and well before this debate come to the fore a couple of years ago, they have not yet been enacted upon and appear to be on the perpetual back burner. The man at the top, Homeland Security’s Michael Chertoff, has even said that initiating the border enforcement requirements of this bill would take nearly two years. It’s appalling that there is nary a sense of urgency even though this invasion occurs and succeeds day in and day out en masse.

This immigration bill is joyfully touted by many senators as the end of the immigration problem. Such joy has no merit for, if anything, the bill is destined to compound the problem. It rewards criminal behavior, promotes clandestine activities, deemphasizes security, and trivializes citizenship. Overall, it is an insult to all legitimate American citizens and the good souls who have opted for legally immigrating into the States.