Backgrounder: The new Congress shares President Bush's reform approach but new legislation is by no means assured.

The Democratic-led Congress and President Bush share rare common ground on immigration reform but will have to overcome concerns over an amnesty for illegal immigrants, says CFR Senior Fellow Edward Alden.

Since winning reelection in December, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has moved swiftly to advance his “21st Century Socialism.” As Chavez-friendly leaders take office in Ecuador and Nicaragua, will they do the same?

Former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-IN) and former Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-MI) cochaired a year-long task force aimed at tackling the nation's immigration challenges. They discuss the task force's recommendations and how the Council on Foreign Relations might build on them as Congress again debates the immigration challenge.

The only concrete measures produced by a yearlong congressional debate on immigration reform have involved border security. But a broader discussion looms on immigration and its role in U.S. economy and culture.

Tamar Jacoby, author of the November/December 2006 Foreign Affairs article, “Immigration Nation,” discusses immigration and U.S. foreign policy with members of the press. Jacoby suggests that the best way to regain control of the influx of immigrants coming into the country “is not to crackdown but to liberalize.”

Congressman Thomas Tancredo, a four-term Colorado Republican who chairs the 104-member House Immigration Reform Caucus, believes that tough immigration reform is essential to preserve the country's identity.

After a burst of momentum earlier this year, immigration reform is stalled in the U.S. Congress, with both chambers sharply divided over how to treat illegal immigrants. Major action is unlikely until voters make their views known in November.

Canada has a comparatively open immigration policy designed to attract a group of diverse, educated professionals. But recent arrests linked to a terror cell have raised questions about integration of Muslims and lax policy.

Pamela K. Starr discusses a new CFR Special Report on the challenges U.S. and Mexican policy makers will face after Mexico's July 2 presidential election.

Deborah Meyers of the Migration Policy Institute talks to cfr.org's Esther Pan about the current status of immigration legislation.

With Mexico's presidential and legislative elections less than two weeks away, CFR releases a new report that argues the United States should restore the U.S.-Mexico relationship and encourage collaboration on immigration, trade, and drug trafficking.

The debate over immigration rages on as Congress tries to reconcile very different approaches to addressing the growing number of illegal immigrants in America. Tamar Jacoby of the Manhattan Institute and Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies discuss how the United States should handle the issue.

President Bush proposes sending 6,000 National Guard troops to the border with Mexico as part of a major speech on immigration reform. Critics say the move is a politically motivated attempt to boost the president's sagging ratings.