Senate panel passes bill allowing guest workers

President Bush used a naturalization ceremony Monday for swearing in 30 new citizens from 20 countries to warn critics of his proposal to let some illegal immigrants remain in the United State against stoking anti-immigrant feelings.

“The immigration debate should be conducted in a civil and dignified way,” the president said as lawmakers began tackling the hot-button election issue of what to do with the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.

NBC VIDEO Experts on immigration March 28: The "Today" show's Campbell Brown interviews CNN's Lou Dobbs and Janet Murguia of the National Council of La Raza, a Latino advocacy group, about the immigration debate. Today show

More than 500,000 people rallied in Los Angeles on Saturday, demanding that Congress abandon the House-passed measures that would make being an undocumented immigrant a felony and would erect a 700-mile fence along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.

Similar but smaller protests were held in Dallas, Phoenix, Milwaukee and Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend. On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators, many waving U.S. and Mexican flags, marched through Detroit. In Huntington Park, Calif., several hundred high school students walked out of class as protests against an immigration crackdown continued on California’s Cesar Chavez Day.

A difficult task ahead
Overhauling the nation’s immigration laws “is not going to be easy,” Bush said at the naturalization ceremony at Constitution Hall two blocks from the White House.

“No one should play on people’s fears or try to pit neighbors against each other,” Bush said. “No one should pretend that immigrants are threats to America’s identity because immigrants have shaped America’s identity.

“No one should claim that immigrants are a burden on our economy because the work and enterprise of immigrants helps sustain our economy,” the president said. “We should not give in to pessimism. If we work together, I am confident we can meet our duty to fix our immigration system and deliver a bill that protects our people, upholds our laws and makes our people proud.”

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, calls for tougher border security have dominated debate over the knotty problem of controlling immigration.

But a tough immigration-enforcement bill passed by the House last year has galvanized forces that want worker programs for illegal immigrants already in the country.

“We will not accept enforcement-only approaches,” said Cecilia Munoz, vice president of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.

Debate comes during election year
Senators up for re-election this year are being forced by the debate to juggle the demand from voters for tighter borders to keep out terrorists and businesses who look to the tide of immigrants to help fill jobs.

Employers and immigration advocates prefer a bill drafted by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., that would allow illegal immigrants to become eligible for permanent residency after working for six years. Both McCain and Frist are likely candidates for the Republican presidential nomination next year.

Another approach offered by Cornyn and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would let illegal immigrants get temporary work permits for up to five years. They would have to leave the United States but could then apply for legal re-entry.

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