Comments by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge refueled the immigration debate among Republicans this week.  Despite the introduction of several bills this summer, the debate has not been prominent since September 11, 2001.

Ridge said that the government should try to give the millions of illegal immigrants currently in the country “some kind of legal status.”  This comment has angered many of the conservatives in the party, with Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo, one of the most-outspoken proponents of tougher immigration law, saying that Ridge was “way out of line” with his comments.

The Bush administration attempted to quiet the clamor by saying that the matter is under review.  The issue is expected to play a key role in the upcoming presidential election, with Bush wanting to earn the growing immigrant vote, while holding onto the social conservatives who want more stringent immigration reform.

Several bills have been introduced in Congress in recent months relating to immigration reform, with Democrats and Republicans sometimes co-sponsoring measures that would deal with the millions of undocumented immigrants currently in the US.  Also, a group of Congressman are pursuing a bill that would make state and local police departments responsible for pursing illegal immigration.  Called the CLEAR Act (Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal), the measure is cosponsored by 112 members of the House, 105 of them Republicans. CLEAR is opposed by many local governments, including New York City.

A bill supported by the White House that would legalize illegal immigrants who can prove they have worked in agriculture for 100 days in the last 18 months, has support from 81 House members and 50 senators.  Lobbyists and farmworker advocates are pressing for a vote on the bill before the election campaigns begin.

Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean has announced that undocumented workers should be able to become citizens, voicing his support for earned legalization.  He also expressed his doubts about a guest worker bill sponsored by Arizona Republicans Senator John McCain and Representatives Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake.