-- by Lesley Clark, The Miami Herald

Sen. Mel Martinez, the nation's first Cuban-American senator, left office Wednesday with pride, a ``heavy heart'' and a lingering regret that Congress has been unable to reach agreement on revamping the nation's immigration laws.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(photo of Mel Martinez by Susan Walsh, AP)

Martinez, the only immigrant in the upper chamber, said he was comfortable with his decision to leave the Senate with 16 months remaining in his first term. But, in an interview off the Senate floor, he acknowledged that he might have remained in the job longer if he'd thought immigration reform would come up again soon.

``I hope Congress can one day reach consensus on the issue because fixing our nation's broken immigration system remains a national imperative,'' he said in final remarks delivered to a nearly empty Senate chamber.

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