EDITORIAL: One step forward

When gridlock keeps you from moving forward, be careful not to slip back.

The Obama administration acknowledged that reality recently when officials began training immigration agents in a new policy to stop deporting as many illegal immigrants who have no criminal records.

The philosophy behind President Barack Obama's earlier ramping up of deportations was to demonstrate that current laws are being enforced, creating a climate leading to reform of immigration laws. The administration has deported nearly 400,000 people each year for the past three years.

But have you heard about much progress on comprehensive immigration reform in Washington? Neither have we.

Congress hasn't even been able to pass the Dream Act, which would give legal status to young people who have lived in the country for years if they join the military or go to college.

So why are we tearing apart families to deport individuals who have broken no laws other than the immigration regulations themselves? Why are thousands of people being held in prison-like conditions, awaiting deportation hearings in a system that has a backlog of 300,000 cases? Why not devise a system that encourages legal instead of illegal immigration