The architect of the US House of Representative's immigration enforcement bill has rejected a plan to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to earn US citizenship, warning the Senate of tough negotiations ahead.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican, called the bill the Senate passed on Thursday an "amnesty" that the House would not accept.
"I reject the spin that the senators have been putting on their proposal," Mr Sensenbrenner said at a news conference. "It is amnesty."
The Senate on Thursday passed an immigration overhaul that combines border security and enforcement measures with a guest worker program and a plan that would give many of the 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country a chance to become citizens.
President George W Bush, who strongly supports a guest worker plan, pushed hard for the Senate passage of the measure and is expected to become deeply involved in the House-Senate bargaining for a final bill.
Mr Bush today got a phone call from Mexican President Vicente Fox, who is in California on the last day of a US tour and welcomed Mr Bush's efforts to push for legalized status for some immigrants. The two discussed the effort to secure the border and boost economic prosperity in both countries, said Frederick Jones, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
Critics called the guest worker idea an amnesty that rewards people who broke US laws. But supporters said it was not forgiving anyone because people would have to pay a fine, pay back taxes, learn English and meet other requirements to get on the citizenship track.
By contrast, the House in December passed a tough border security and enforcement measure that would make being in the United States illegally a felony instead of a civil offense.
Mr Sensenbrenner said any bill that emerges out of negotiations between the House and the Senate would have to concentrate on securing the nation's leaky borders and punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants.
"With the border controls and the enforcement of employer sanctions, the jobs for illegal immigrants will dry up," Mr Sensenbrenner said. "And if you can't get a job because employer sanctions are enforced, my belief is is that a lot of the illegal immigrants will simply go back home voluntarily."
The House bill has sparked protests around the country from Hispanic groups and their supporters. But Mr Sensenbrenner said he would not accept the Senate's position.
Mr Bush, mindful of the growing clout of Hispanic voters, has long supported immigration reform and has said he backs a comprehensive approach along the lines of the Senate bill.
But the issue deeply divides Republicans and many believe it is an important issue for them in this year's congressional elections. Recent polls show growing public dissatisfaction with the Republican majority.
Many lawmakers say Mr Bush will have to become deeply involved in the bargaining if a final bill is to be agreed on before the November elections, when Democrats hope to make big gains.