The already complex issue was exacerbated by Karl Rove and other Republicans who made it a wedge issue in the 2006 election, Cannon said. He suggested it was a reason Democrats picked up seats.

"Many of the people who lost seats were harsher on immigration," he said.

Cannon said he opposed President Bush on the comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate last year because it was misguided, saying it was written by Rep. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.

But without immigration reform, corruption could increase as ICE targets some businesses and not others.

"There's a tendency for corruption to increase in an area where there is uneven enforcement of laws," Cannon said. "That's a federal issue."

Cannon has long been attacked from the right as being a supporter of amnesty, but he again said he is not.

"Amnesty has a definition," he said. "Let's not do amnesty, but let's do the possible."

Sending all undocumented workers back to their native countries is not possible, he said.

He said the solution must include creation of a workable program that allows businesses to check whether workers are documented or not.

"The (Basic Employment Verification) Pilot Program doesn't work," he said. "If you're going to enforce against businesses that hire illegal aliens, you have to have a program so a business can do so. ... You have to make it possible."

Cannon added that he previously has supported efforts in Utah to join state and federal enforcement agencies against illegal immigration.

"I supported then-Salt Lake City Police Chief Ortega when he wanted to enter into an agreement with ICE's predecessor, the INS."

Salt Lake City eventually backed out of the proposal.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com