Here's the one thing that politicians are really good at: assurances and promises (cue Dionne Warwick) Immigration reform - specifically, border security - is all about promises with measurable results as an afterthought - if at all.   

Chuckie Schumer (D-NY) and the more pliable members of the Senate Republican Caucus (those shilling for business interests that like cheap labor) have cut a deal on border security.  The Chuckster and eager Senate Republicans are promising that if the whole enchilada of the immigration reform bill passes, Uncle Sam will hire 20,000 more border patrol agents and double border security fencing (350 miles existing), this according to a report in yesterday's Washington Times. 

But not every Republican is buying promises, promises.  This from the Times' article:

Critics said the bill doesn't require results, but rather relies on checking off boxes for agents hired and money spent.

"All we have are more promises about future performance, and I must say our record of keeping our promises when it comes to immigration reform are beyond pathetic," said Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican. He pointed to the 1996 promise of an entry-exit system to check all visitors' visas -- a system that still isn't in place.

The Senate bill again promises to complete the system, though it waters down existing law by dropping the requirement for biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, and does not require checks for those crossing on the ground, only those entering at airports and seaports.

Democrats have objected to requiring any hard measures of security, saying they fear a future Republican president would fiddle with the numbers to delay the path to citizenship.

But fear monger Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says that the promises are just swell with him. 

"I've been working on this [helping increase Democrats' Hispanic support and businesses with cheap labor] for almost a decade with Sen. [John] McCain. I can look anybody in the eye and tell them that if you put 20,000 Border Patrol agents on the border in addition to the 20,000 we've already got -- that's one every 1,000 feet -- that will work," Mr. Graham said. "If you build the fence, that all helps. So I don't need any more than just getting it in place." [Editorial comment added with delight]

This may come as a shock to President Obama and Lindsey Graham, but a good many Americans don't trust politicians and the feds to do what they claim they will do through legislation.  There's a little matter of enforcement, upon which border security hinges, that is at the discretion of the executive branch.  President Obama ain't going to do anything substantial to turn off the spigot to illegals.  Mexican illegals, in particular, and their American-born progeny (along with the reflexive black vote) are what will keep Democrats electorally competitive for years to come.  Call it a "Harvest of Shamelessness" for Democrats.    

How much of the illegal immigration entering the U.S. comes by plane or boat?  Most of it is cross-border entry - from Mexico into the U.S.  And who will be elected president in 2016?  Laws are useless without vigorous enforcement; armies of border patrol agents are merely government make-work unless they're given significant latitude to do their jobs.    

Ted Cruz (R-TX) has stepped in with a nationwide petition to stop the immigration bill, writes Breitbart's Tony Lee.  Since Senate Democrats and enough Senate Republicans want an immigration bill to pass, it likely will.  The House is where immigration reform needs to be tripped up. 

The unraveling of the gargantuan farm bill in the House augurs well for conservative efforts to stop the Democrats' voter base-building scheme via legalizing the illegals.  Speaker John Boehner claims that he won't let an immigration bill pass unless it receives majority support among House Republicans. 

That's what Boehner promises, anyway.