OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the maximum tolerated dose of liposome complexed staphylococcal enterotoxin B and interleukin-2 plasmid DNA in patients with metastatic melanoma. II. Determine local gene expression in tumor tissues in this patient population treated with this regimen. III. Determine if plasmid DNA can be detected in circulation following intratumoral injection of this regimen in this patient population. IV. Evaluate the antitumor immune responses induced by this treatment regimen in these patients. V. Characterize the clinical response to this treatment regimen in terms of tumor size and histology in these patients. VI. Determine the clinical response to this treatment regimen in terms of complete remission, partial remission, stable disease, and disease progression in these patients.