The backlog of applications for citizenship represents tens of thousands fewer citizens who will be eligible to vote for the 2008 presidential election. And it's not hard to guess that new citizens are much less likely to vote for "tough on immigration" candidates, or, in other words, Republicans.
While I hesitate to impute such foresight to the Bush Administration (the people who brought you the Katrina response and the "Don't worry, we'll be greeted as liberators," style of reconstruction planning), it does seem that sitting on those applications while the election inches closer, particularly with the hotly contested elections we've had the last two cycles, certainly plays in the Republican's favor.
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