By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

Two political parties, two rival plans to deal with the nation's burgeoning illegal immigrant population.
And barring a breakthrough, no guarantee that either of them can pass a Senate riven by election-year partisanship.

"This is a vote that for millions of Americans is a question about whose side you're on," Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said Wednesday in advance of a test vote on legislation offering legal status and eventual citizenship to many of the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

Democrats, led by Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada, needed 60 votes to advance the measure. They seemed unlikely to prevail, especially since one-time Republican allies melted away to support a GOP alternative instead.

Senate racing for solution on guest workers

Mike Madden
Republic Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - The Senate is heading for a showdown over immigration on Thursday, after Democrats stalled debate Tuesday and set the clock ticking toward a crucial vote.

Searching for a compromise proposal that would bridge a divide in the Republican ranks, key GOP members spent hours negotiating behind closed doors but didn't settle on anything by the end of the day.

At issue is a bill passed last week by the Senate Judiciary Committee that would beef up border security, allow an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants to earn legal status and let 400,000 foreigners come to the United States every year for work.

By Amanda Paulson, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Jorge Santos has dreamed for years of becoming a US citizen - like his wife, son, and stepdaughter. He speaks English well, owns a home, and finished fine furniture for a living - until a deportation a few years ago flagged the fact that he was using a false Social Security number.
He's back in the US now, watching Washington wrangle over immigration - especially what to do about those already here illegally. Under the US House bill, he'd become a felon; a Senate bill offers a path to US citizenship, but Mr. Santos doubts he'd be eligible. His earlier run-in with immigration law may disqualify him.

Though many immigrants prefer the Senate's more open-armed bill, it can't yet answer their most urgent question: Who'd get to stay and who'd be sent home? How senators would resolve Santos's case, and others with similar complications, may be what determines whether most undocumented immigrants living and working in the US step forward to be counted - a major goal of the legislation - or remain in the shadows.

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press Writer

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday he wants a full Senate vote on an immigration bill this week and believes that urgent action is needed despite sharp divisions over whether proposed legislation would amount to amnesty.
"There are 3 million people every year coming across our borders illegally. We don't know who they are; we don't know what their intentions are. We absolutely must address it," said Frist, R-Tenn. "I hope by Friday that we will have a bill on the floor that is comprehensive."

A chief sponsor of a House bill, meanwhile, also called on the Senate to avoid deadlock so lawmakers in both houses can start work on reaching a compromise "for our national security and our economic well-being."