What are the main issues involved in the immigration debate?
The sticking point has been a guest worker program. The idea has taken many forms: As first outlined by President Bush, such a program would allow foreigners outside the United States to apply for temporary work visas. Other plans would also give the millions of undocumented immigrants already in the country the right to stay legally. The issue has created a rift among Republicans. While business interests in the GOP seek to legalize workers, the party’s conservative base is strongly opposed to illegal immigration. Critics argue that the government should first focus on border security. Some want to make it a criminal offense — punishable by jail time — for the undocumented to live in the United States (right now, it’s a civil offense). Legislation passed by the U.S. House in December does indeed make this a felony. The plan approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee eliminates these criminal provisions, and it also drops all criminal penalties for those who provide assistance to undoc
