Huntsman, a Republican who is proposing the resolution with Arizona's Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano at a meeting of the Western Governor's Association, is calling for legislation to "protect and preserve the safety and interests" of the United States while also recognizing the need for "Western industries to have a stable and legal supply of workers," according to a release provided in advance of the meeting.

"Our states are on the front lines of a tidal wave of illegal immigration," Huntsman says in the release. "The debate in Washington has been polarizing and unhealthy, and we are asking the administration and Congress to adopt this bipartisan framework and recommendations agreed to by the Western Governors' Association."

Immigration has been one of the top issues of the National Governors Association as state leaders huddle in Washington.

While Congress has passed one immigration bill, there have been calls for more stringent and more comprehensive legislation from several sides of the immigration debate.

And increasingly, states are leading the charge, with Arizona and New Mexico both declaring states of emergency because of the influx of illegal immigrants.

"Governors feel they have to get into this debate because of the lack of action on the federal level in the first place," says Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, "and this issue so impacts the governors at the state level that they've decided they need to be a catalyst for this reform."

The proposal by Huntsman and Napolitano also calls for the U.S. leaders to work with Mexican and Latin American governments to "generate economic growth, improve the standard of living and promote ownership" in those countries as a way to stem the tide of immigration to the United States. Immigration was among the topics President Bush touched on during a Monday morning meeting with governors - possibly in anticipation of today's policy proposal, Huntsman said.

What Huntsman, Napolitano want

Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano are asking Western governors to:

* Oppose blanket amnesty to all undocumented workers and support "appropriate sanctions" for those breaking the law.

* Urge Congress to avoid creating incentives for more illegal immigration by "creating unnecessary hurdles and lengthy delays" for those wishing to immigrate legally.

* Call for full funding for law enforcement and security along the southern U.S. border, enforcement using "cutting-edge" technology, better coordination with law enforcement agents and construction of a federal correctional facility to house illegal immigrants convicted in state courts as well as reimbursement to states for incarcerating illegal immigrants.

* Request full funding for processing employment-based visas; eliminating visa-request backlogs and increasing the number of visas to meet U.S. industry needs, especially in high-tech, bio-tech and seasonal-based industries.

* Establish a guest worker program that will include background checks to help supply workers where there are shortages.

* Enforce sanctions against employers for hiring illegal immigrants along with a system for employers to verify citizenship and worker status.