Other Democrats say that passing the legislation won't be possible without Republican support. "We will need to find Republicans and count our votes on the other side," Sanchez said.
Democratic leaders also are bracing for a push from lawmakers and groups on the party's left who would like to do more for immigrants.
"People on the extreme left are seeing this as an opportunity to come up with an ideal bill, and we're trying to tell them, 'Yes, we're in control, but only by [small margins],' " said a senior Democratic Senate aide, who would speak about the immigration debate within the party only on the condition of anonymity.
There is also concern about the pressure union officials could exert to block guest worker programs that, in line with Bush's position, would not allow workers to eventually gain citizenship. "With each month, they become more and more opposed" to such proposals, the Senate aide said.
And though Democratic strategists see the pursuit of immigration reform as essential to winning the burgeoning Latino vote, there is concern that doing so could hurt the party among its most loyal bloc -- African Americans.
"It's something Democrats say is a concern," said John Gay of the National Restaurant Assn., whose members employee 12.5 million workers. "I don't think anybody wants to talk about it, but if you look with a cold eye at the pressure points in the Democratic constituency ... this comes up."
After an initial burst of optimism in the wake of this month's election, many immigrant advocates are now wary about the prospects for an immigration bill.
"Can Pelosi get the required number of Democrats on board? Will House Republicans play ball or take an oppositional stance?" asked Jeanne Butterfield, executive director of the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. "Both parties have divisions within their own ranks on immigration. How deep those fissures run within the Democrats remains to be seen."
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nicole.gaouette@latimes.com
