With meaningful immigration reform at least temporarily out of the spotlight as the nation awaits the election of a new president and Congress in November, some might think current immigration laws are not being enforced.

Such is not the case, particularly when it comes to those in the country illegally and who commit crimes while they are here. They have become the focus of a crackdown by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As they should be.

The Seattle Times recently reported that since the push began last June, immigration officials have placed 4,453 legal and illegal immigrants from throughout the state into removal proceedings. Last year, criminals represented about one-third of all immigrants who were expelled from the U.S.

Closer to home, ICE officials reported that of the 4,453 targeted for removal, 1,468 were jailed in Eastern Washington and four jails in north Idaho and one in northeastern Oregon.

Though the agency would not offer a county-by-county breakdown, as of Monday, the Yakima County Department of Corrections reported that 48 inmates were being held for ICE for various reasons.

It's a demonstrable fact that the vast majority of those entering this country illegally are coming here to seek a better life for them and their families. While that in itself does not justify illegal entry, the flood of illegal immigrants is also bringing with it a criminal element and that is the group being targeted.

Under the Criminal Alien Program, ICE officers identify and then request that jailers place holds on deportable immigrants before they are released from custody.

If that doesn't work, then "we are not limited in how we locate these criminals we're going after," Neil Clark, field director for ICE, told the Times. "Our primary focus is providing safety and security for law-abiding citizens and legal residents of this country. We want these people off the streets."

The crackdown, however, does not lessen the need for reforms that also clean up the mess in which our immigration policies now find themselves. Secure borders, workable guest worker programs and sensible paths to legal residency and citizenship should be central to such changes.

By all means, get the bad apples out of the country. We may be a nation of immigrants, but we also are a nation of laws.

But as it happens, Congress and the new administration cannot lose sight of the bigger picture and pressing need -- and responsibility -- for long-overdue immigration reforms.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.