Apart from anything else, if/when there is an amnesty, part of it must be a ceremonial, public admission of guilt by the illegal aliens, an acknowledgement they are receiving an undeserved act of grace from the American people, followed by absolution. The sense of entitlement is a huge obstacle.

If the immigration groups were willing to consider moving up the 245i date in exchange for, say, eliminating the Visa Lottery and fixing TVPRA and Flores, we might be able to make progress. No such luck.