Prospects for the passage of comprehensive immigration legislation are slim because the two parties are far apart in an election year. But the competing proposals are expected to define the battle lines.
Renewed attention to the issue, however, may build political support for limited measures benefiting farm workers and students that have support from lawmakers of both parties.
The Democrats' reform plan provides a window into the kinds of compromises Bush may be pushed to accept if he wins a second term -- and the policies presumed Democratic nominee Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) might pursue if elected president.
Kerry has endorsed the concept of "earned legalization" -- an amnesty for illegal immigrants who are established, working and have passed a background check.
The Democratic proposal contains more detail than Bush's principles for immigration reform. And it offers a different approach for dealing with the estimated 8 million to 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
Bush has proposed a broad guest-worker program that would allow illegal immigrants to remain in the country up to six years.
Like a funnel, however, it would let only a few progress to green cards and citizenship. The president said he would support what he termed a reasonable increase in the number of available green cards, but had not said by how much.
The Democrats want to allow undocumented workers to apply for permanent legal status but limit the number of future guest workers to 350,000 a year. The figure is close to some estimates of the net annual increase of illegal immigrants.
The Democratic proposal is largely silent on enforcement. Bush has called for a crackdown on employers who hire undocumented workers. Many analysts think a legalization program would have to include a significant increase in enforcement to pass Congress. In the House, about 120 lawmakers support deputizing local police and sheriffs to help enforce immigration laws.
"If and when there is a comprehensive immigration reform bill, we know there is going to be an enforcement component to it," said Theresa Brown, immigration policy director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The Democratic bill has three main components: "earned adjustment" or amnesty, family reunification and a guest-worker program.
