Hourly Update

Congress divided over solution to immigration problems

WASHINGTON - By declaring an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano hoped to add momentum to a move in Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration system. But Congress - especially the Republican Party - remains deeply divided over how to approach problems related to the 10 million or more illegal immigrants in the U.S. Lawmakers say they still don't know exactly what direction legislation will take - or even when they will get to it. Before lawmakers left for their August recess, the Senate had begun holding hearings on immigration bills. "It has been a very slow-moving piece of legislation in the past," said Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., adding that senators are serious about making progress in the fall. "It is on a very rapid pace now." The governors' move, followed by word that California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would consider similar action, stole the national spotlight and sent some members of Congress scrambling to respond. "I hope it puts pressure on both the administration and the Congress to give it a higher priority," said Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., who visited border counties days after Richardson declared an emergency. Yet as pressure has intensified, some lawmakers have grown even more entrenched on the issue. Some believe the U.S. should revise the rules for who comes and goes across the border. "What we desperately need is a temporary worker program to bring those in the shadows out in the open," said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who introduced a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to work in the U.S. temporarily. Others, including Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., are calling for the U.S. to get tougher at the border. "With all due respect to members of my own party, we have a long way to go before we effectively deal with this problem," said Hayworth, who plans to introduce his own bill dubbed "Enforcement First," which would beef up border security and make it harder for immigrants to get U.S. citizenship. He thinks a guest worker program should be introduced only after the border is secure. "Let's have law enforcement first; let's have national security concerns addressed first," Hayworth said. In January 2004, Bush outlined a guest worker program for workers abroad and undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. His proposal drew a loud backlash from conservatives. Bush didn't follow up with specific details or legislation, and the election season kept lawmakers from dealing with similar bills introduced last session. This year, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to hold more hearings when Congress returns from the August recess, but it's unclear when they'll begin to take action. Aides say committee members are waiting for President Bush to release an immigration proposal. White House spokeswoman Erin Healy on Monday declined to say when Bush will do so. "We're continuing consultations with members of Congress and discussing comprehensive reforms," she said. The Judiciary Committee also has other pressing responsibilities, including confirmation hearings on U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. In the House, Arizona Rep. John Shadegg, the Republican policy chairman, has begun holding "unity dinners" to find areas of consensus on immigration. Shadegg spokesman Michael Steel said dinners involve 15 or 20 lawmakers with diverse views on immigration. Their meetings will continue when Congress returns to Washington. The two most prominent bills being considered in the Senate were sponsored by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz. and Ted Kennedy, D-Mass, and Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and John Cornyn, R-Texas. The McCain-Kennedy bill, like Flake's, would allow illegal immigrants in the country to work for up to six years before they must return home or apply for permanent residency. Under the Cornyn-Kyl bill, immigrants would have five years to leave the country. They could return through legal channels, including a guest worker program. Congress watchers are skeptical anything will happen this year, however. "Until you get a near consensus, nothing's going to pass," said Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia, who believes immigration is becoming a hot-button issue as big as abortion, gay rights and guns. Instead, Sabato and others believe immigration will be debated for several years to come. "It's inevitable this will be a major issue in both the 2006 and the 2008 elections," Sabato said. "People just don't agree."