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Frustrated, distrustful and, frankly, angry at congressional inaction, states such as ours are addressing immigration problems and creating confusing policies.

Arizona's employer-sanctions law that severely punishes companies that knowingly hire illegal entrants is among our state's toughest anti-- illegal immigration laws. Yet Arizona is considering a state-run guest-worker program, Capitol Media Services' Howard Fischer reported in Tuesday's Star.

Legislation for a limited guest-worker program is being forwarded by state Sen. Marsha Arzberger, D-Willcox, and state Rep. Bill Konopnicki, R-Safford, who represent agriculture-heavy districts.

Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, a staunch proponent of anti-illegal immigration laws and the sponsor of the employer-sanctions law, is considering supporting the state guest-worker program because it would prevent temporary workers from becoming permanent U.S. residents or receiving taxpayer-subsidized services, Capitol Media Services reported.

The hang-up is that Pearce wants the measure restricted to agriculture workers. Arzberger and Konopnicki want the legislation to extend to other industries, especially small businesses that are unable to fill jobs with U.S. workers, according to Capitol Media Services.

We agree that a guest-worker program is needed as part of an overall, comprehensive immigration reform package at the federal level.

Immigration is a federal responsibility. We are concerned about the impact of an Arizona-only guest-worker program on nearby states.

However, the state and the nation need a guest-worker program.

U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., said during an editorial board meeting last month that farmers in Yuma are not planting sections of their fields out of fear that they won't have enough workers to harvest the crops.

It's not a stretch to see the impact of reduced crop production on the farmer's income and on food prices.

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., is not optimistic that Congress will have the political wherewithal to tackle illegal immigration.

The Star reported Friday that in his State of the Nation speech delivered in Tucson, Kyl said:

"What are the prospects for immigration reform this year? The quick and simple answer is none. . . . The issue will be too politically hot for Congress to take up this year."

Grijalva was more optimistic. While he said the political atmosphere is poisoned, he added that it might still be possible to pass some type of immigration reform before the summer break. Congress needs to face economic reality.

He's developing revisions to the H-2B work visa, which allows foreign nationals to work in the the United States temporarily in nonagricultural jobs that are seasonal or intermittent. Among the folks lobbying Grijalva: circus performers.

Grijalva is exploring several reform possibilities, including an expedited path to citizenship for the 21,000 noncitizens serving in the military and their families and dependents. He also favors a "placeholder" concept for workers who are in the country. These workers, who have no criminal record, would pay a fine and be given a work permit for three to five years.

A commuter program for workers coming from Mexico to work in the Yuma-area for the day is another idea Grijalva wants to develop.

In addition, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., introduced the Innovation Employment Act on March 13, which would double the number of H-1B visas to allow highly skilled immigrants to legally work here. The bill would increase the limit of H-1B visas from 65,000 a year to 130,000 a year and remove the 20,000-a-year cap on visas that go to foreign graduate students in math, science and technology.

The federal government began accepting applications for next year's allotment of H-1B visas on Tuesday, according to Giffords' office.

"It's a critical time," Grijalva said. "We're playing with people's lives."

We realize the state and the farmers and small businesses that Arzberger and Konopnicki represent cannot wait for Congress to gather the political muster to take action while their livelihoods wither on the vine.

A guest-worker program must be implemented on the federal level. But in the meantime, a state guest-worker program could be put in place until Congress gets its act together and approves comprehensive reforms.

Security-only not a fix

A security-only approach to illegal immigration is not solving our nation's illegal immigration woes. The attempt to wall-in America along its Southern border is being met with technical glitches and resistance.

The 28-mile experimental "virtual fence," Project 28, along the U.S.-Mexico border is fraught with problems, according to wire reports. Built by aerospace and defense firm Boeing, the prototype web of radar, infrared cameras and sensors suffers from design and software flaws. It is also months behind schedule.

The "Boeing Boondoggle" was — oops, we mean is — meant to complement pedestrian and vehicle barriers and thousands of additional Border Patrol agents. The surveillance system was intended to spot illegal entrants and give the Border Patrol the opportunity to apprehend entrants.

In Texas, border towns dependent on a binational way of life object to being split — literally — by a fence and landowners are refusing to let U.S. surveyors onto their property, according to wire reports.

U.S. Reps. Raúl Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords released statements Tuesday opposing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's decision to build the border fence by waiving environmental laws. Grijalva proposed the Borderlands Conservation Security Act (H.R. 2593) that would mandate communities be consulted and a public process and transparency be part of border-security initiatives.

The National Guard was deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border in 2006 in Operation Jump Start, a temporary measure to boost border security while more Border Patrol agents were hired and trained.

The 6,000 Guard soldiers —2,400 in Arizona — were on the border in support roles, such as surveillance and building fences, according to wire reports and Capitol Media Services.

Half of the Guard troops were withdrawn last year; the remainder are to leave by mid-July.

However, only about half of the 6,000 Border Patrol agents promised at the onset of Operation Jump Start have been hired, according to the AP. Therefore, Gov. Janet Napolitano wants to delay the pullout of National Guard troops in Arizona.

With the Guard gone, border security will suffer. However, the National Guard is needed elsewhere. It has other responsibilities

One more time: Border security is a federal responsibility.

If the Guard leaves the border, as Operation Jump Start outlines, Homeland Security must come up with a Plan B until the Border Patrol is up to anticipated staffing levels.