Immigration Deal in Peril

Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, flanked by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., left, and Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 10,2007, after a conference to discuss immigration reform. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson) (Lawrence Jackson - AP)

The GOP position has "moved far to the right" since last year, said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who has attended the talks.

"We have serious concerns about the workability and fairness of certain elements of the White House plan," Menendez added. He said the GOP proposal was "a huge step backward" from the 2006 measure, which 23 Republicans supported.

Talks have bogged down in a tangle of details. That has led officials in both parties to play down the chances for a breakthrough.

Publicly, Republicans remained sunny about the prospects of a compromise, reluctant to be seen as obstacles to achieving an item that polls show has broad support.

"I think it's pretty clear that the vast majority of Republicans want an immigration bill," said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said Democrats are concerned the emerging bipartisan measure is going too far to placate GOP conservatives at the risk of alienating Democrats.

"Our frustration is, we look around the table of the negotiators, and they are trying to please Republican senators who were totally opposed to comprehensive immigration reform," said Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat. "As a consequence, they are leaving behind a lot of mainstream Democrats and Republicans."

Republicans, many of whom considered last year's measure unduly lenient toward illegal immigrants, said they were bent on supporting the new approach under discussion in the bipartisan talks.

Modeled after a White House draft circulated in late March, it would impose large fines, long waits and trips home on illegal immigrants seeking to gain legal status. It would shift the immigration system toward one based more heavily on skills and employment criteria, eliminating or curtailing opportunities for immigrants to bring their families to the U.S.

"Republicans need to stand firm for this framework," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. "The danger for Republicans would be that somehow they felt weak and defensive, and accepted so many compromises on this framework that it really is not true to the ideals it proposes."

The negotiations have been extraordinarily sensitive for both sides. Democrats are wary of committing to anything stricter than last year's bill. Republicans are concerned about embracing anything that gives illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship _ decried by conservatives as "amnesty."