Marches, public opinion increase pressure for immigration overhaul

WASHINGTON — The immigrant demonstrators who flooded the streets of America's cities Monday ratcheted up pressure on lawmakers to complete an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, while raising Republicans' frustration with President Bush for what they see as a muddled stand on the issue.

Bush, a former Texas governor, made immigration reform a signature issue after winning the presidency, advocating a guest-worker program that would offer illegal immigrants and foreign workers access to the U.S. labor market. But for months he has refused to get involved in the legislative details while Republicans in the House and Senate fought among themselves and took very different approaches.

The House, reflecting the anger of conservatives' districts contending with a flood of illegal immigrants, passed legislation in December that would build hundreds of miles of fence on the southern border and would declare illegal immigrants felons, without offering them any lawful employment, much less a route to citizenship.

The Senate is trying to a fashion a solution that addresses both border security and the fate of 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants already here. But amid partisan finger-pointing, the Senate left town Friday for a two-week recess having failed to pass compromise legislation that appeared to have the support of a clear majority of senators.

The proposed Senate compromise also appears to have overwhelming support among voters. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 63 percent of those surveyed backed letting immigrants who have lived in the country a certain number of years apply for legal status and eventually become citizens.

In contrast, only 14 percent favored a plan to let illegal immigrants stay and work for a limited number of years before having to return to their home countries, an alternative pushed by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. Twenty percent said illegal immigrants should be declared felons and offered no temporary work program, a stand that corresponds with the House-approved legislation.

Many Republicans on Monday continued to blame Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who has used parliamentary tactics to block votes on Republican amendments and is making demands the GOP sees as unreasonable. But they could not hide their frustration with the president, either.

When the compromise was announced Thursday morning, White House officials had told Republican senators that Bush would appear on television that afternoon to strongly back the deal. Bush appeared in Charlotte, N.C., at 12:36 p.m., but his message was to exhort senators "to work hard."

"I'm pleased that Republicans and Democrats in the United States Senate are working together to get a comprehensive immigration bill," he said.

Advocates of the compromise were mystified that the man who first called for an immigrant guest-worker program would go no further.

White House spokeswoman Erin Healey said she would not divulge internal discussions about what the president agreed to say last week, but she asserted that Bush has been "very engaged in this issue," reiterating his support for a comprehensive bill that tightens border patrols, toughens enforcement of laws outlawing employment of illegal immigrants, and expands a temporary guest-worker program.

With Bush on the sidelines, it may be the demonstrators who drive the process forward.

As he watched tens of thousands of marchers in the streets of Phoenix, Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., noted that the demonstration kicked off with a rendition of the national anthem amid a sea of American flags.

Shadegg voted for the House bill. But he said Monday's orderly, patriotic marches should help the cause of lawmakers from both parties who would temper the House bill and add an avenue to legal employment for illegal immigrants.

"Everybody is frankly astounded at the numbers of individuals who are willing to stand up and say they are here illegally," said Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., whose suburban district is not far from 50,000 marchers who descended on Atlanta.

"If nothing else can give a picture of why we need to act rapidly, it's this."