The "Grand Bargain" was no bargain at all, according to the National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities (NALACC), the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), the William C. Velasquez Institute, the Hispanic Federation, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). The National Council of La Raza is not part of this group and did not comment on the bill.

(See also: National Latino Groups Call Bill 'Immigrant Apartheid')

In response to the Senate's vote yesterday against advancing reform legislation, the heads of the six Latino organizations voiced their support for comprehensive reform that is fair and just to the estimated 12 million undocumented workers living and working in the United States. All agreed that this bill did not meet those criteria.

"We are disappointed that the debate is over, but we are happy and relieved that this anti-immigrant bill is now stopped in its tracks," said Brent Wilkes of LULAC. "This gives us a chance to start fresh again."

The bipartisan bill, which would have created a path to citizenship for many undocumented workers, had opponents from both parties. Democrats felt that the bill was discriminatory toward families while Republicans likened it to "amnesty" and thought it needed tighter citizenship restrictions and more border-protection clauses.

Pablo Alvarado of NALACC agreed and emphasized the need for legislation to be readdressed but with an additional focus on the undocumented workers themselves. "We are aware that we need to change the terms of this debate and we have to stop the characterization of immigrants as criminals and terrorists," he said.

Why didn't the bill pass? Antonio Gonzalez, president of the William C. Velasquez Institute, said that it was poorly constructed. "The conclusion that can be drawn from the previous debates is that 'comprehensive' is the wrong construct for reform," he said. "We would prefer an incremental approach to reform, like down payments. AgJOBS and the DREAM Act are already teamed up for this."

AgJOBS refers to the Agricultural Job, Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act, sponsored by the United Farm Workers. It would have provided a stable and legal work force in the agricultural industry while additionally improving conditions for farm workers in the fields.

The DREAM Act would have granted permanent legal residence to children of undocumented workers if they arrived as children, are in good standing with the law, and are attending college or have enlisted in the military for two years.

The most important point made by the Latino groups was that this is not just an immigration issue; it is a rights issue. "A lot of this stems from a violation of civil rights and constitutional law," said Lillian Rodriquez-Lopez, president of the Hispanic Federation.

What's in the future for immigration reform? "We hope that the fight isn't over," said Gabriela Lemus, executive director of LCLAA. "We will continue to advocate in a constructive manner. We ensure that we will honor the contributions and the hard work of our immigrant community to our economy and our country."

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