President Bush will today propose a temporary worker program to help millions of immigrants work legally in the United States.
Facing a possibly close election next November, Mr Bush is reviving an issue put on hold when the September 11th, 2001, attacks raised American worries about terrorists slipping across US borders and prompted tighter control of foreigners entering and living in the country.
Bush is to lay out the plan in a 7.45 p.m. (Irish time) speech from the White House. He will outline broad principles and leave details to be negotiated with Congress.
He will discuss the plan next Monday with Mexican President Mr Vicente Fox, who has been pressuring Mr Bush for US immigration reform.
Under his plan, illegal immigrants in the US would be able to gain legal status for an initial three-year period if they can prove they have jobs, senior Bush administration officials said. Estimates on the number of illegals range from 8 million up to 14 million.
They would have permission to leave the country and come back as needed, and would be able to renew their three-year visas for a number of times to be negotiated with Congress, the officials said.
Officials insisted this did not amount to a blanket amnesty for illegal immigrants living in the United States and that having a job under the temporary worker program would not provide any additional advantage for obtaining permanent residency status.