The issue of illegal immigration, while long roiling beneath the surface of American politics, is now boiling over.

The eruption began with the introduction of House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner's (R-Wis.) bill HR 4437 to the Senate following its passage by the House last December. The first attempt at real immigration reform since 1986, this commonsense legislation would have made being an illegal immigrant a felony, authorized additional fencing at the border and required all employers to use an electronic verification system to ensure that workers are legal residents.

Yet the Senate supported the bill only after watering it down with a variety of amendments. It may be further weakened by the competing bills being debated in Congress.

But just the idea that the United States might actually seek to control the flood of illegal immigrants over its southern border sent opponents into a frenzy.

To read the entire article, go to SFGate.com.