Associated Press
WASHINGTON - By declaring an emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano hoped to add momentum to a move in Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration system.
But Congress - especially the Republican Party - remains deeply divided over how to approach problems related to the 10 million or more illegal immigrants in the U.S. Lawmakers say they still don't know exactly what direction legislation will take - or even when they will get to it.
Before lawmakers left for their August recess, the Senate had begun holding hearings on immigration bills.
"It has been a very slow-moving piece of legislation in the past," said Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., adding that senators are serious about making progress in the fall. "It is on a very rapid pace now."