The loud voices, punchy arguments and simple headlines from governments, politicians and anti-immigration groups will often be easier to hear. The other side has a harder job, because theirs is the more sophisticated argument, offering humane, progressive and enlightened policies in the midst of an emotional debate.

The idea that 11 million here illegally are going to sign up for a program that is going to (eventually) result in their removal is unworkable. Most won't sign up. The good news is that (Bush) continues to address the issue and he hasn't backed down from the point of view that temporary workers need to be part of it. But politically, they've made a mishmash of this issue.

In supporting migrants, we do face formidable challenges but I'm still optimistic.

Instead of leading the country to bipartisan comprehensive reform, ... he runs more of a danger of putting gasoline on the fire.

I'm disgusted that we are engaged in a blame game. We needed a bill, and we got a food fight.

Their painstaking progress on winning Latino voters is in jeopardy because the face of the (Republican) party on this issue is Tom Tancredo. They are caught between their base and their desire to do something reasonable.

The Minutemen were offensive because they were kind of scary, but no one disagrees with border enforcement, really. It angered some people, but it angered activists. But when Congress said 'You hardworking people, we are going to call you felons,' that really broke through. You were no longer talking about policy, you were talking about who they are, that they are bad people.

The Mexican who arrived last month is more often in direct competition with a Mexican who's been here five years than with an African-American who was born here.

Every Western industrialised nation faces the same issues of an ageing society that needs migrants, a sceptical public and some hostile media. In supporting migrants, we do face formidable challenges but I'm still optimistic; we just have to focus on bringing together the needs of our societies and the aspirations of migrant families.

No matter what the administration witnesses say, it's going to be revealing. Everyone knows the only way that immigration reform happens is if the president leads on it. And if they come and mouth platitudes and stay vague, it'll be interpreted in both chambers as an abdication of his leadership role.