For example, Cannon says two of his friends in Congress are Sens. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. "But we just don't talk about immigration anymore because we disagree so strongly."

Also making passage of any reform difficult is that Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., leads a coalition of 70 House members who vow to oppose any legislation that benefits in any way people who enter the country illegally.

The heart of any comprehensive reform bill is expected to be some form of a "guest worker" program, which Bush is pushing hard.

The idea is to match foreign workers with employers who cannot find U.S. labor to fill their jobs. It would allow aliens, including those already here illegally, to apply for a renewable, legal stay for a certain period. The period varies among proposals between three and six years.

Bush has said if foreigners had such a program available, he believes most would enter legally for a time, save up money and then return home. But staying permanently and earning citizenship could also be allowed. Critics say it may simply lead more businesses to seek cheap foreign labor.

Amnesty going

A major change over the past year, according to Cannon and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is Bush supporters are moving away from anything that looks even remotely like amnesty for illegals, or anything else that could reward them ahead of others waiting to enter the country legally.

Last year Bush had initially proposed allowing illegals here now to pay a fee, and with it obtain legal status. With time and good behavior, it could lead to citizenship.

Critics complained that was too close to a blanket amnesty. They said it would encourage more illegal immigration with the expectation of more amnesty (or legal status with a minimal fee) in the future.

Now, Hatch, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee which oversees immigration law, says of Bush supporters, "We are sincere in finding a solution that will work, that will involve less than amnesty. A lot of us are opposed to amnesty."

Cannon added that most in Congress now seem to want to require illegals to return to their home countries at least temporarily and re-enter legally as part of a process to earn legal status in the United States. "But that could create financial hardship depending on where their home countries are," he said.

So, Cannon said, some proposals still would allow illegals to pay fines and/or offer public service in lieu of traveling home.

A Deseret Morning News/KSL-TV poll by Dan Jones & Associates shows Utahns may be slightly less concerned about amnesty than are critics.