Beaufort County now has its ordinance aimed at curtailing the number of illegal immigrants here.

But what does it amount to? A law requiring businesses to obey the law.

That's not surprising when you take into account the fundamental truth about what the council is tackling -- enforcing federal immigration law at the local level. And it also is the fundamental problem with the new ordinance -- it puts county staff members in the position of federal immigration agents. Why are we pretending that Beaufort County can accomplish what the federal government cannot?

The ordinance allows the county to audit businesses operating in unincorporated Beaufort County to ensure that all employment verification documents are legitimate. If not, the county can suspend a company's license. The County Council decides whether the license should be revoked.

The answer to any problems caused by undocumented workers lies in Washington. Communities across the country have tried to do the impossible -- control our country's borders from the limited confines of local jurisdictions. They have done so out of frustration with Congress' inability -- or unwillingness -- to act. It's easy to see why. Look at our own congressman, Rep. Joe Wilson.

He traveled the length of his congressional district Thursday to tell us his legislative agenda for the upcoming session. On the list: Remaining on the offensive in the war on terror and accelerating training of Iraqi security forces; reauthorizing the Higher Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act; advocating fiscally responsible, pro-growth policies; and pushing for small-business health plans.

The man who held a local town hall meeting on immigration before the November election -- a meeting that brought out more than 250 very vocal people -- can't find a place for immigration law reform on his top list of things to do.

Asked about it at his news conference, Wilson said, "I'm not going to pass the buck. This is a federal issue."

That's why he needs to make it a priority. We'll say it again: Congress needs to pass meaningful immigration reform that addresses border security, increases enforcement and penalties for businesses that knowingly hire illegal workers, puts in place a broader guest worker program and gives immigrants who are here illegally a path to citizenship. We need reform that gets the workers our economy apparently needs on the rolls as full-fledged, tax-paying, rights-protected citizens and legal guests.

The good news is that Beaufort County's ordinance does not go into effect for another year. That allows county officials to see the outcome of pending lawsuits against other local immigration laws, and it allows them to figure out exactly how they're going to enforce their own ordinance.

At a Dec. 11 council committee meeting, the committee asked County Administrator Gary Kubic to prepare for audits of at least 25 percent of businesses licensed by the county. Kubic estimated it would cost $210,000 to hire more people to audit the approximately 1,300 businesses.

Our guess as to whether that money will come from? The increased fees for business licenses set to go into effect in 2007. The county now collects about $400,000 a year in business license fees. With the fee increases and improved compliance, the county hopes to take in about $3.4 million.

The county has struggled to get businesses operating in the unincorporated parts of the county even to get business licenses. That means businesses operating legitimately will bear the cost of enforcement.

County officials also can use this next year to do what they should have done all along -- pressure Congress to do its job. They can start with Joe Wilson.