If Congress fails to pass the immigration reform bill pending in the Senate, it may have squandered its last chance to bring order and sense to the growing illegal immigrant problem for years to come.

The tenuous compromise worked out among Republicans and Democrats nearly unraveled completely last week, but Senate leaders remain hopeful they can still salvage the bill and gain enough votes for passage. If they don't, the nation will have to continue its contradictory and inhumane policy of punishing and deporting people who come here to fill the demands of a soaring economy. Regardless of border fences and tough talk, the ranks of the undocumented will continue to grow, as will animosity toward the United States in nations south of the border — nations that are turning leftward in part because of what they perceive to be hatreds and broken promises from this country.

The United States has expended a lot of effort in recent years to work out free-trade agreements with Latin countries. Border fences and deportations are seen by many as examples of U.S. hypocrisy.

The Senate compromise is not perfect. That's the nature of a compromise. But it would create a guest-worker system that would allow productive workers to stay here and fill jobs. It creates a path to citizenship and imposes a stiff financial fee on illegals who wish to stay. Also, it would tighten the border, which is important in this age of terrorism.

People who work hard and contribute would be given a way to come here and better their lives. Others would be deported. People wishing to become citizens would need to return to their lands and get in line. People who call this "amnesty" are just looking for a provocative word to lob like a grenade.

The only alternative to this bill is to continue the current system, arresting a few people here and there with no regard for whether or not they are contributing as hard workers. Even hard-core immigration opponents need to acknowledge it would be impossible to round up an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants for deportation.

We hope the wrangling last week that led to a Senate deadlock was a temporary political setback. This bill needs to pass.