In fairness to immigrants

President Bush deserves credit for trying to bring order to this chaos and for responding to the concerns of Mexico's president, Vicente Fox, who has sought some protection for Mexicans in the United States. And Bush has wisely called for increasing the number of green cards, which allow immigrants to live here, and penalizing employers who violate immigration laws. But Bush's newly proposed temporary guest worker program deserves the protest it has provoked.

Bush says his program would be an efficient, legal way to match foreign workers with jobs when no US citizen wants the work. Guest workers would have legal protections, and domestic security would be enhanced, since the government would know more about foreign workers.

Workers who participate would be granted legal status for three years. Renewal would be possible but not guaranteed. Workers could apply for a green card and citizenship as long as they are not favored over those who followed the rules. Newcomers and those already working here illegally could apply. In the future, only newcomers would be accepted. Bush staunchly opposes an amnesty program, arguing that it would encourage people to break the law.

The problem is the three-year time limit. Some workers may know that they want their time in the United States to be brief. But others won't commit to possible deportation: They may decide they're better off working illegally. And because legal status is linked to jobs, there is a risk that abusive employers would still have too much power, able to threaten workers with the possibility of being fired and deported. Bush would work with Congress to decide which agency or agencies should administer this vast new program. It could be a tough call. This load could overwhelm the already stressed Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Bringing foreign workers here, benefiting from their boost to the economy and taking taxes and Social Security from their checks, should earn them more than an "Adios" at the end of three years. A better goal is legal permanent residency.

Bush's plan is a starting point. Now Congress has to debate the issue and cull good ideas from pending legislation such as the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act, which calls in part for legalizing agricultural workers, granting both temporary and permanent legal status.

Immigration reform should be thoughtful and fair. Human lives and national economic well-being are at stake.