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What are the two major candidates' positions on immigration?

Republican

John McCain

• Co-sponsored a major immigration re-haul that would have enhanced border security, created a large temporary worker program, and offered many illegal immigrants a path to citizenship if they met certain requirements. The measure, also sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., passed in the Senate in 2006 but not in the House. A similar measure failed in the Senate last year.

• During the presidential campaign, McCain backed away from the bill, saying that border enforcement must come before any legalization programs.

• Distanced himself from immigration hard-liners, saying several times that illegal immigrants are "God's children" and need compassion and protections under the law.

• Voted for building 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

• Voted to make English the nation's official language. The measure passed the Senate but never became law.

• Recently said to the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group: "Our nation's national security requirements are that we have secure borders, but we can address this issue in a humane and compassionate way."

Democrat

Barack Obama

• Supports a broad immigration reform that would give many illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship if they met certain requirements such as learning English, passing a criminal background check, and paying fines. Promises to tackle such a bill in the first year of his administration.

• Said he would consider suspending work site immigration raids until Congress passed an immigration reform.

• While a state senator in Illinois, sponsored the Dream Act, which allowed illegal immigrant high school students to attend college with in-state tuition.

• Supports giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

• Voted for building 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

• Recently said to the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group: "We cannot — and should not — deport 12 million people. That would turn America into something we're not; something we don't want to be."

— Eunice Moscoso, Cox News Service