According to a report in the Associated Press, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), the Democratic leader, sent a letter to Senator Bill Frist (R-TN), the Republican leader asking for the Senate to resume work on the immigration bill immediately after the Senate finished a spending bill dealing with funding the war in Iraq and relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

I have just received the newest compromise bill which reflects the Hegel-Martinez compromise language as well as a number of additional changes reflecting amendments pending at the time of the recess last week. There are a number of additional new sections making the bill come in at a whopping 614 pages.

We will be analyzing the text over the next days and will update our section by section summary to inform readers of the substance of the changes.

National Geographic, not normally known for weighing in on political questions, has an article warning that a border fence could be harmful to wildlife in the region.

As the U.S. government debates major immigration reform, environmentalists warn that the proposed laws would also prevent animal migrants from crossing the country's southern border.

Specifically, the legislation's proposal to erect 700 miles (1,125 kilometers) of immigrant-stopping fence could block key wildlife migration routes in the Sonoran Desert along the U.S.-Mexico border.

I've written an opinion article in this morning's Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper about myths surrounding comprehensive immigration reform.

A new poll from ABC News and the Washington Post asked a number of immigration questions and findings were surprising

President Bush received poor marks for his handling of immigration with 33% approving and 61% disapproving.

The general public still ranks immigation low on the list of most important issues. Only 12% of members of the public consider immigration the most important issue and presumably views are split in that small number. This is consistent with other polls and this finding, compared with polls of Hispanic voters showing they overwhelmingly consider immigration the most important issue is giving Republicans some worries. They don't appear to be winning ovters with the anti-immigrant views, but there are clearly alienating the very important Hispanic voting community.

The public is now giving Democrats much higher marks on immigration issues than Republicans. 50% of the public approves the Democrats handling of the issue while Republicans only get 38% appvoal ratings.

75% of the public believes that we're not doing enough to thwart illegal immigration. But most, nearly 2/3, don't think that immigrants pose a threat to American workers.

The most interesting question, in my opinion was the following one which asked people to make choices regarding the major options being considered by Congress. Interesting, the House approach and the Frist approach are overwhelmingly unpopural.

21. I'll read three proposals for illegal immigrants who currently live and work in the United States. Please tell me which you prefer.

ONE: Let immigrants who have lived here a certain number
of years apply for legal status and eventually become
permanent citizens if they meet specific conditions,
like paying a fine and back taxes

TWO: Let them pay a fee and work here for a limited number
of years after which they'd have to leave the country

THREE: Declare all illegal immigrants to be felons and not
allow them to work here legally

Which of these would you prefer -
a program that may lead to legal status and permanent
citizenship,a program allowing them to work here for a
limited number of years but not remain permanently, or
no temporary work program and felony status?
                                                          
Program that may lead to legal status and permanent citizenship  63
Program allowing them to work here but not remain permanently    14
No temporary work program and felony status                      20
None of them (vol.)                                               2
No opinion                                                        1 

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