The last few days, in so many ways, have laid bare the raw wounds of our frail immigration system.

• The Washington Post concludes a four-part investigation into the inhumane and horrific conditions for immigrants detained and too often allowed to die in custody for civil infractions of our immigration laws.
• The New York Times reports on the immigration red tape faced by U.S. soldiers who apply for visas to save the lives of Iraqi translators marked for death because they aided America.
• That paper also tells the sad tale of an Italian who merely wanted to visit his American girlfriend only to be shackled and then jailed for 10 days because an immigration inspector trumped up a claim that the man feared persecution in Italy.
• In the same week, ICE and DOJ agents conduct the biggest raid in recent history on the nation’s largest Kosher meat processor, arresting almost 400 people.

All of these actions stem from the Executive Branch. Where is the compassionate conservative of Crawford TX who proclaimed two years ago this week that he “gets” immigration? The President still has over seven months left in his administration to quell the immigration chaos. Why is he not reigning in his Departments? Why are Congressional investigators not holding Bush administration officials accountable?

Must we wait till January or later before our leaders take meaningful action to bring a sense of order, justice and most of all pragmatic humanity to America’s train-wreck of an immigration system? No, we need not; but our immigration problems will only be resolved when the American people protest so loudly that see-no-evil politicians are forced to act.