''I say let the prisoners pick the fruits,'' said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California, one of more than a dozen Republicans who took turns condemning a Senate bill that offers an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants an opportunity for citizenship.

''Anybody that votes for an amnesty bill deserves to be branded with a scarlet letter A,'' said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, referring to a guest-worker provision in the Senate bill.

Their news conference took place across the Capitol from the Senate, where supporters and critics of the legislation seemed determined to heed admonitions from both Bush and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to conduct a dignified, civilized debate.

The House has passed legislation to tighten border security, while the Senate approach also includes provisions to regulate the flow of temporary workers into the country and control the legal fate of millions of illegal immigrants already here. Bush has broadly endorsed the Senate approach.

It was the second day in a row that congressional Republicans aired their differences on an issue that directly affects the fastest growing segment of the electorate.

Referring to a wave of demonstrations in recent weeks, Rep. Virgil Goode of Virginia said, ''I say if you are here illegally and want to fly the Mexican flag, go to Mexico and wave the American flag.''

The only vote of the day came on a proposal by Frist for a study of the number and causes of deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border. It passed 94-0.