By Judy Keen and Laura Parker

                 WASHINGTON — President Bush will
                 outline his goals for reforming immigration
                 laws next week with Mexican President
                 Vicente Fox at his side, but objections in
                 Congress have forced him to rethink an ambitious plan to grant legal status to
                 millions of illegal immigrants.

                 As a result, Bush is expected to announce only goals and principles for a
                 broad set of reforms. The two key components:

                      Creating a guest-worker program that would ease the way for U.S.
                      businesses to hire foreigners.
                      Allowing some illegal immigrants working and paying taxes in the USA
                      to become permanent legal residents.

                 Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said the president is considering several
                 options "to make America more welcoming for immigrants in a way that is
                 safe, legal and humane."

                 When administration officials first floated the plan earlier this summer, it ran
                 into strong resistance from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Many GOP
                 lawmakers, such as Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, flatly opposed legalizing illegal
                 immigrants. Democrats rejected the notion that the plan would apply only to
                 Mexicans and not other nationalities.

                 At the same time, some Mexican officials have opposed
                 opening the border because they fear losing skilled workers
                 that their nation needs.

                 The delay in finalizing details of the plan has prompted
                 worries among some immigration advocates. They fear that
                 Bush might offer the temporary-worker program but back
                 off the proposal to legalize illegal immigrants.

                 "If they're slowing down to get it right but still moving
                 forward, that would give us a lot of hope," says Frank
                 Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration
                 Forum, a group that advocates easing immigration rules. But if Bush doesn't
                 set a timetable for action, Sharry says, that could be a sign of trouble.

                 Bush has said he supports linking foreigners with U.S. employers.

                 "I strongly believe that if someone is willing to work, and someone's looking
                 for a worker and can't find anybody, we ought to facilitate the two hooking
                 up," he said last week.

                 A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll last weekend found that 28% of those
                 polled support making it easier for illegal immigrants to become citizens; 67%
                 said it should not be easier.

                 About 300,000 illegal immigrants enter the USA each year. Mexicans are by
                 far the largest group.

                 Fox will head to Washington next week and meet with Bush Wednesday at
                 the White House.