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President Bush is promoting his plan to legalize the status of millions of illegal immigrants and create a guest worker program.

In his weekly Saturday radio address, the president called on the U.S. Senate to pass the program, which clears the way for many illegal immigrants to become citizens. It also calls for strengthening the southern U.S. border.

But a Democratic member of Congress criticized the president's plan as short-sighted.

Giving his party's response to the president, Congressman Mike Honda of California said a long-term plan should protect American workers and allow hard-working immigrants to apply for citizenship. He said the president has not disclosed how much his plan will cost.

Some senators in Mr. Bush's Republican Party oppose his plan. They say it amounts to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has passed a bill that would prosecute people who enter the country illegally.

This was the third time in a week that Mr. Bush spoke publicly of his immigration plan.