Republican congressional leaders said last week Congress is unlikely to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill before the year is out. For once, congressional gridlock isn't necessarily bad news.

Although comprehensive immigration reform is needed, no action is the best action Congress can take until it is serious about addressing the issue. Real reform means sealing the borders, enacting real penalties for those who enter illegally and employers who knowingly hire them, then dealing with the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already here.

While a House bill did little beyond securing the borders, the Senate's plan went too far beyond. It offered a wide-ranging amnesty that would have granted residency to 8 million illegal immigrants and created a 20-year flood of legal immigrants estimated by some at 66 million.

It also contained provisions that would have given the newly legal residents some benefits even American citizens don't receive.

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One clause would have let state universities offer in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants, a luxury not afforded to out-of-state students who are citizens. Another would have given the newly legal residents the option to pay only three of their last five years in back taxes. Yet another would have let illegal immigrants legalized under the amnesty get credit for Social Security taxes paid while in the country illegally.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., also made a lot of noise about the fact that newly legal residents would not be barred from claiming the earned income tax credit. Though the credit already is offered to legal residents, Sessions' argument highlighted the most glaring problem with the Senate's bill: It would have taken millions of people living in poverty and made them residents with little regard for the substantial impact they would have on government programs and services. This nation already has trouble keeping promises it made to current citizens and must be careful about taking on greater responsibility.

That's why, though some illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay, the privilege to do so should be based on factors that include length of time in the country, a solid work history, lack of a criminal record and a commitment to learning English. And Congress should not extend to illegal immigrants and newly created legal residents rights and privileges that American citizens do not enjoy.

Although congressional gridlock can be frustrating, there are times it is the best possible outcome -- this is one of them. When Congress is no longer crippled by its biennial inability handle serious issues, it must take up immigration reform in a meaningful way that seals the borders and effectively deals with the millions of illegal immigrants already here. In the meantime, this lack of action at least avoids a compromise that could have made a bad situation worse.