[Alberta's Child]

There hasn't been an issue as politically potent as illegal immigration in at least a generation. It could even realign the political landscape on a scale similar to the New Deal.

No, it can't. The basic problem with your assessment is that this issue is only "politically potent" on one side of the aisle -- or, more accurately, on the "incumbent" side of the aisle.

One of the great advantages of being an opposition party is that you never have to come up with workable ideas yourself. You simply have to sit back and complain that the ruling party is doing something wrong, and "We'll just do it better" is seen as a perfectly legitimate point on issues where the opposition party has no intention of coming down on the other side of an issue (think back to Kerry's lame campaign points on the Iraq war as a perfect case in point).

This issue cannot realign the political landscape for one simple reason -- because both major parties are basically on the same side.

[sourcery]

both major parties are basically on the same side

That's true only of the political officeholders, not of the grassroots. Hence, your argument loses its force.

[stands2reason]

Your screenname makes me think of a song---

Hurtin' Albertan with nothing more to lose
Too much oil money, not enough booze
East of the Rockies, and west of the rest
I do my best to do my damnedest
And that's just about all I guess