The US Senate is in the midst of a heated debate on immigration.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill favored by most Democrats, but not by Conservative Republicans.
And just as the Senate is divided on the issue, so are New Hampshire's Senators.
NHPR Correspondent Julie Donnelly reports from Washington.
The debate over immigration is creating a rift in the Republican party.
Currently two bills are competing in the US Senate.
One, bill, written by Majority Leader Bill Frist and favored by many conservatives, focuses on border security and enforcement.
The other - which was approved by the Judiciary committee - includes a provision for temporary guest worker program.
It would also allow the estimated eleven million illegal immigrants in the United States to eventually become citizens.
That bill is favored by most Democrats and some Republicans.
Both New Hampshire Senators John Sununu and Judd Gregg say they haven't had enough time to thoroughly review the Judiciary Committee's proposal.
And they don't know yet if they would support it.
Senator Sununu says he's in favor of expanding the visa program for certain workers - such as those in health care, high tech, and seasonal jobs like farming.
He says it's important to reward those who go through the proper channels to come to America.
But he says he doesn't support any guest worker program that allows undocumented workers to stay here legally.
"I don't think it's right to put someone who has broken the law in an advantageous position. It's not fair to those who have come here legallly, to those who want to come here legally to work, to raise a family and to educate their children. I think that's a concern that will guide me throughout the debate."
But Senator Judd Gregg disagrees.
He says he doesn't support amnesty - or simply converting people's status from illegal to legal.
But he does support a program that allows illegal immigrants to get on a path towards becoming Americans.
The bill approved by the judiciary committee would impose taxes and fines on undocumented workers, and require them to have jobs.
And it would allow them to gain citizenship, after eleven years.
The judiciary committee's bill also authorizes a virtual wall between the borders of the US and Mexico.
It would be made up of unmanned vehicles cameras and sensors.
A bill passed by the House of Representatives would order an actual fence to be built between the two countries.
Senator Gregg feels that would be the wrong approach.
"I strongly oppose having a fence along the Mexican border. There are certain sections that may need to be fenced, in the very highly urban areas, but a general fence would be a huge mistake. It's unnecessary and would be extremely expensive."
Senator Gregg does however want a tremendous increase in border security.
As chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee for Homeland Security Gregg says he's trying to get a billion dollars in additional funding - in any bill he can.
But there's one way he won't be trying to get the money.
Gregg says recent proposals to increase fees on airline tickets to pay for border security, just don't make sense.
He says it would make more sense to put a fee on cotton candy, than to link air flight to land security.
For NHPR news, I'm Julie Donnelly in Washington.
