SAN DIEGO -- On the sensitive issue of illegal immigration, Democrats are acting more like demagogues. At various times in this debate, they've been cynical, hypocritical and dishonest.
First, 191 House Democrats voted against an amendment to the immigration bill that would have reduced the infraction of being in the country illegally from a felony to a misdemeanor. Next, Democrats held up the Senate's version of immigration reform last spring and then tried to pin the blame on the GOP. Now, a 35-second Internet video ad produced by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and placed on the organization's Web site has spurred an outcry from Hispanic groups.
The ad, since yanked, was part of a national campaign by Democrats to engage in a little political jujitsu. The strategy is to use the Republicans' strength on national security against them by pointing out that, after nearly six years of the Bush administration, America's foreign policy is a jumbled mess and the world is still a dangerous place.
I won't argue those points. There are plenty of people on both sides who are critical of the Bush foreign policy.
But what I do take issue with is that the DSCC video carelessly presented images of illegal immigrants scaling a border wall juxtaposed with scenes of armed terrorists, Osama bin Laden, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il and packaged them all as threats to national security.
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Puleeze. Yes, illegal immigrants have broken our laws and I have no trouble referring to them as criminals for doing so. But that doesn't mean they should be lumped together with murdering terrorists and repressive dictators. That only muddies the issue. It also makes you wonder if Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, the DSCC chairman, is taking cues from CNN's Lou Dobbs.
This is no change from the sort of stunts that Republicans pull whenever they try to capitalize on the cultural anxiety that many Americans are experiencing because of illegal immigration, such as those awful GOP-sponsored field hearings meant to fire up conservatives for the November election.
Last year, speaking to the National Council of La Raza, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said that Republicans "scapegoat" illegal immigrants and that the GOP would use immigration as a wedge issue in the 2006 elections. He also pledged that "Democrats will never divide Americans to win elections."
Never came a lot sooner than I expected. Now, in their own attempt to win seats in Congress, Democrats are doing what they accuse Republicans of doing -- exploiting the immigration issue.
I suppose I should be grateful that Democrats finally had something to say about illegal immigration after months of ducking for cover and letting Republicans take all the heat. This issue is a tough one for Democrats. They're being squeezed by two loyal constituencies -- Latinos who want comprehensive reform that includes guest workers, and labor unions that support the first but oppose the second.
At least the GOP has ideas. The Democratic strategy seems to be to let members of the other party destroy one another and then try to demonize any Republicans who are left standing as anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic.
Still, I actually think these sorts of eruptions are helpful. They serve as a wake-up call for Hispanics, a reminder that -- in this two-party system -- either party will sell Hispanics out in a minute if it means getting elected officials re-elected.
Now, I have a question for my fellow Hispanics. After months of Republicans running the show on immigration policy, Democrats are now trying to steer this debate to serve their ends.
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Ruben Navarrette's e-mail address is navarrette@wctrib.com .
